Heart Broken
by Maerchen Freunde
Summary: Neji is struck down. Is it a heart attack or is he heart sick? He may lose something very precious to him. NejTen, NarHin, and more as the story evolves. Rating for strong language, definite citris, adult concepts.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto or the characters therein. I do enjoy writing stories for them, though. I'm not sure how long this one is going to be…as you may know, you start going in one direction and the tale pulls you entirely in another.**_

_**Enjoy**_

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**Heart Broken**

**Chapter 1: First Pain**

The first time Neji experienced the pain was just after becoming a chunin.

He woke up clutching his chest. The pain was crushing, cold and terrible, wringing his heart from the inside. He lay on his futon in the dark and quiet house writhing silently, his face twisted in agony.

He rolled over and pushed up onto his knees with one hand, the other hand pressed into his chest. His head hung down and his usually well-ordered locks fell over his face and tangled in his fist. He couldn't move beyond this position. The pain held him in a grip so tight that he could hardly breath, but panted softly, choking on what little air he could scrape into his lungs.

If he could have called for help, there was no one to hear. The house where he had lived with his father was empty now of other people. Servants came from the main house of the compound to clean, take care of his laundry, supply the small kitchen with things to eat. Whatever tasks they performed usually took them about a half-hour. He was not an untidy person. He rarely saw them, only knowing they had been there by the new food and clean clothing and spotless bathroom.

He would have laughed bitterly if he had enough air to spare. He didn't want to die. He had escaped death a number of times in battles that tested his training and abilities to their limits. Dying now, in the merciless grip of this ignominious pain, was humiliating. He could feel burning tears of anger and fear drop onto his fist. His body gleamed with cold sweat and his jaw muscles started to cramp.

The pain suddenly disappeared and he sprawled untidily on the floor as if dropped from a giant hand. He turned slowly to one side drawing his knees up, wrapping his arms tightly around them. He was shaking uncontrollably, gulping air into his lungs in hitching sobs. He had to endure this for several minutes before he could move. He crawled to the doorway of his room and pulled himself up shakily using the door jamb for support. He slid the door open. He wondered for an irrelevant moment why he even shut it. Did he need that extra insurance of privacy when there was no one else in the house?

He staggered into the dark living room, his arms out like a blind man, his pale eyes wide. He ran into one side of the sofa, knocking it askew. He leaned on the sofa back until he got his balance, his head down, dizzy and nauseous. He heard something fall over and crash to the floor on the other side of the sofa. There would be something for the servants to clean up in the morning.

His head cleared a little and he pushed off from the sofa, shuffling his feet as carefully and slowly as an old man fearful of falling. He reached the kitchen counter with relief and used it as support to make his way to the sink. He leaned over it, resting heavily on his forearms. He waited until a wave of nausea receded, spitting bile into the drain, then continued pulling himself to the refrigerator. He made several attempts to struggle weakly with the magnetic pull of the refrigerator door, feeling a small rush of triumph when he finally pried it open. The light inside the refrigerator blinded him for a moment and he squeezed his eyes shut. When he could see again, he pulled a juice container out and held onto it tightly, pressing its coldness against his chest.

He slid down the cabinet front, wincing when a shoulder blade snagged on the drawer handle, and sat on the floor, his head hanging down. He couldn't find the energy to shut the refrigerator, but sat in its cold light with his legs stuck awkwardly out. He opened the juice container and swigged down some of the liquid, not caring that only half made it into his mouth. He could feel the juice dribble, cold and sweet, down his throat, down his neck, pooling inside and outside.

He sat quietly, a pulse pounding in his ears, until his heart rate slowed to a steady rhythm.

He fell asleep leaning his head against the cabinet. The juice container dropped from his hand and juice poured out onto the floor in measured gushes, spreading around his feet, like blood emptying from a dying heart.

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_**A/N: No, he's not dead. I couldn't kill Neji, he's just too cute and uptight for his own good. Tell me what you think about this beginning. I'd like to hear your thoughts. =D**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto, more's the pity. **_

_**Hope you enjoy.**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter Two**

**Second Pain**

The second time Neji experienced the pain he was on the training ground in the courtyard of the Hyuuga clan compound.

"Are y-you alright, Neji-san?" stammered Lady Hyuuga Hinata. She stood up from her fighting stance and clasped her hands in front of her bosom, disengaging her violet Bykugun eyes, and gazing at her cousin anxiously.

Hyuuga Neji remained in his stance and frowned at her in irritation. He was tired and edgy and didn't want to explain anything to his cousin. It had taken all his willpower to clean up the mess of juice and to get himself out to train.

"Fine," he said, shortly. "Keep going." He sunk deeper into his pose and engaged his Bykugun jutsu.

Hinata pressed her forefingers together for a moment. The courtyard was empty, except for them. Voices and the clatter of dishes could be heard coming from the kitchens of the main house as the servants prepared for a dinner party Lord Hyuuga Hiashi was giving that evening.

"Y-you seem tired," she said, hesitantly. "Are you s-sure you –"

"Keep. Going." He bit the words off and spat them at her. The dull headache that had been plaguing him all day flared and he lost his balance slightly.

His cousin didn't move, but watched him with concern in her wide pale lavender eyes.

He sighed and stood up. "I'm sorry I snapped," he said. "I didn't sleep well." His Bykugun eyes returned to normal. He put a hand over his eyes, blocking out the bright sunlight and her anxious face. He swayed a little in the afternoon heat, feeling dizzy and nauseous. The headache was no longer a flare, but an all out bonfire that radiated into his jaw and down his neck. He could feel his cousin by his side, putting her arm around his waist and pulling his arm around her shoulders. She helped him over to the steps leading to the main house and made him sit down in the shade.

"You don't need to help me," he said, gruffly, but he was as weak as a cat and glad that she ignored him. He leaned his head against the porch pillar, his eyes closed. There was a roaring in his ears and he thought he was going to vomit. He put his head down between his knees and panted. He could barely feel Hinata's cool hands pull his hair aside to put a cold compress on the back of his neck. He was vaguely aware that she was talking to someone but he couldn't understand what she was saying.

The pain hit him like a sledge hammer and he thought his chest had burst open. He clutched his heart to keep it from falling out of the cavity.

He heard screaming and thought maybe, as he fell to the ground, that it might be him.

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_**A/N: Have I got you wondering? Me, too. Things have a way of getting out of hand, as you will see. Please review =D**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto. But I'd like to. Is it possible to own stock in the Naruto universe?**_

_**Hope you like this so far. **_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 3**

**Confusion**

When Neji woke, he was blind.

He tried to lift his hands to his face to touch his eyes.

He tried to sit up on the hard bed.

He couldn't move his hands or legs.

He fought the restraints viciously, cursing, bucking against the leather and wool straps.

A door opened and the darkness surrounding him brightened for a moment. It was this realization and not the voice calling his name that reassured him the most.

He lay back on the bed, clenching his fists. He tried to calm himself, but panic roared in his ears.

He could sense someone near him. He turned his head and could see a figure outlined in blue Chakra. He tried to activate his Byakagan eyes and cried out gutturally at the needle-like pain that pierced his head.

"Neji, Neji, stop," said a soft female voice.

He recognized the voice and forced himself to stay still and to keep his eyes closed.

"It's Sakura, Neji-san," she said. "You're at the hospital. You need to calm down, Neji. You're at the hospital."

"What happened?" his voice was hoarse and his throat hurt.

"We're not really sure," Sakura said. "Somehow the Chakra flow to your heart has been altered. This is affecting all your systems, especially your eyes. You can't use the Byakugan jutsu, Neji. Not right now. Not until we find out what's wrong. Lady Tsunada is researching this, to find out how we should treat you."

"Am I blind?"

He heard her intake of breath. Was she going to lie or tell the truth?

"Not blind, but - " she hesitated, " – but – your vision, even your normal vision, is impaired."

"Am I dying?"

"No!" the med-nin had reached his bed and put her hands on his chest lightly. He could feel energy flow into his chest and shoulders and he relaxed, slightly. "No, you are not dying. You need to rest until we can be sure of your treatment."

"Why am I tied up?" he asked, his voice harsh.

"You were scratching at your eyes. We – I – thought it was best if we restrained you until you could understand your situation." Sakura's voice was calm and authoritative. It surprised him a little. He had always thought she was a light-weight kind of person.

"Are you going to untie – take these things off?" He pulled at the wrist restraints sharply. It was utterly humiliating to be tied down this way, as if he were a baby who could not control himself.

"That's my plan," said Sakura, cheerfully.

He felt her undo the closest wrist restraint. As soon as his arm was free, his hand flew up to his face.

Sakura grabbed his wrist before his fingers found his eyes.

"As I said," she said, holding his wrist in a firm grip, "My plan is to let you free. But only if you promise not to hurt yourself. Can you do that?"

Neji clenched his fist, overwhelmed by a rush of anger. His eyes, his face. Why were they treating him like a child?

"Of course," he said, shortly. Sakura let go of his wrist and he dropped it to the bed.

He felt her move down to the foot of the bed and start working on the ankle restraints. The door opened and he heard someone else come in and walk over to Sakura quickly. He slitted his eyes and saw another Chakra illuminated figure, probably another med-nin. He choked down the almost overwhelming desire to run his hand down his body. Was he dressed? Did a sheet cover him? Did he look like a fool, tied to the bed like some lunatic?

The med-nin took over opening the leg restraints and Sakura moved up the other side of the bed to release his other wrist. She checked the IV fluids bag hanging beside him and looked down at him with a smile.

"Okay, Neji," said Sakura, briskly. "This is Katsuro Kenji." She indicated the med-nin standing at the foot of the bed. The man was big, big enough to hold him down. Was that why he was here? Did he need a keeper? "He's going to help you get cleaned up after my exam."

"I can do that myself," muttered Neji.

"No, actually, you can't," said Sakura firmly. She pulled a small flashlight out of the breast pocket of her lab-coat and flicked it on. "Close your left eye and open your right. You aren't going to be able to move around a lot and you'll need Kenji-san to help you. Now, close your right eye and open your left." Neji winced as the tiny beam of light drilled into his head.

Sakura continued her inspection, looking in his ears, his throat, listening to his heart and lungs, thumping his chest, generally making it very difficult to ask questions. Neji could feel a hot blush wash over him and he broke out into a sweat.

"Done!" said Sakura, brightly. "Things are looking pretty good, although I can see your eyes are still very sensitive to light. Your heart seems to be beating normally, but I can still sense some interruption in the flow of Chakra." She made some notes on a pad of paper she drew from her pocket. "Lady Tsunade's going to look in on you later today. She'll probably have some more information."

"Like, when I can go home?" Neji asked, gruffly. He opened his eyes a little to look at the pink-haired kunoichi. He waited, his body tense. What the hell was going on?

"I hope so," said Sakura. She put her pad and pen back in her pocket. "Listen, Neji, until we figure out what is going on, you're not going home. You're going to have to stay in bed and rest."

"But –," protested Neji.

"And if you don't rest enough," said Sakura, frowning at him, "I can guarantee that you're staying longer." She patted his knee, smiling brightly. "Now, let Kenji-san help you get cleaned up. You've got a couple of visitors already." She left the hospital room quickly, waving her hand to him as she left.

Neji looked narrowly at Kenji standing at the foot of the bed. The Chakra surrounding the med-nin brightened with his broad grin.

"Listen," Neji said. "I don't need any help –"

"Well, now," drawled the grinning shinobi, "Hyuuga-san, the way I see it, this can be easy –" he stopped and spread his hands in an expansive gesture.

Neji studied the man suspiciously.

"Or," continued Kenji, "I can act all unprofessional-like, and let you do what you want, you get hurt, Lady Tsunade fires my ass, and I wait until you get released and kill you. What's it gonna be?"

Neji let his head fall back on the pillow and shut his eyes.

"When you put it like that…" he muttered.

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_**A/N: Poor Neji, strapped to a bed and helpless. Okay, put away those naughty thoughts; it's not that kind of a story. Yet. Anyhoo, tell me what you think. =D**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I do not own a lot of lucrative things, and Naruto is one of them.**_

_**Enjoy, please.**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 4**

**Visitors**

In the end, he was glad to have Kenji do most of the work.

Once the big medic-nin had removed the catheter and IV line, given him a surprisingly refreshing and matter-of-fact bed-bath, helped him brush his teeth and hair and rolled him gently back and forth to make his bed, Neji was too exhausted to say thanks. His head ached horribly, a loud rhythmic booming that matched his pulse. His eyes throbbed to the same steady beat and he kept them resolutely closed. He was barely able to choke down some water sipped through a straw and didn't notice when Kenji gave him some kind of injection. He was grateful for the gradual effect of the pain medication, and relaxed a little, drifting off into sleep.

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He jerked awake in a panic. The voices he had heard speaking, the voices that woke him up, stopped abruptly. He heard people approaching the bed and was horrified at the wave of fear that washed over him. It took all his strength of will not to flinch when a large hand pressed firmly against his chest. Was this some assassin coming to finish him off? He could make out a two figures in the soft light coming from the bathroom.

"Neji," said his uncle, Hyuuga Hiashi, "Lady Tsunade says you are getting better." The clan leader's voice was calm and measured, as it always was. There was no hint of emotion.

Neji struggled to sit up but was forced to fall back on the bed. Lord Hyuuga's hand remained where it had landed, pinning him down. Neji shuddered inside in humiliation. To be caught like this, lying weak under his uncle's hand, mortified him to the bone.

"Lady Tsunade has said that you must have complete bed-rest to recover. I trust that you will follow her instructions to the letter," said his father's twin brother.

"Yes," Neji despised himself for how weak his voice sounded. He cleared his throat. "Yes, of course, Uncle."

"I would be most displeased if you hindered your recovery by a display of foolish pride," said Hiashi, coldly.

"Yes, sir," said Neji, "I will comply with whatever Lady Tsunade recommends."

"Excellent," said Hiashi, removing his hand and stepping back from the bed. "Your cousin, Hinata, is here, along with your team mates. Please do not exhaust yourself during their visits."

"I-I will m-make sure Neji-san is quiet," promised Hinata, with her soft, pretty voice. She stepped up to the bed and took Neji's hand. He was startled, but oddly pleased. He realized that he was glad to have her here. He squeezed her small hand gently, holding on to it when she tried to tug away.

"Do not be a burden, Hinata," said Hiashi, sternly, walking towards the door of the room. He opened the door to the room and stared at the young shinobi waiting outside, "and do not let your companions become burdens, either." He swept past the visitors and walked away down the hall.

"Whew!" said Naruto, darting into the room, "Gotta say, Hinata-san, your Dad is scary and I ain't lyin'" He hurried over to the bed and stared down at the figure in the bed.

Neji closed his eyes firmly to avoid the stare. He kept Hinata beside him. Maybe she would be able to deflect the jinchuriki's enthusiasm a bit.

"Jeez, Neji," said Naruto, in wonder, "You look like crap, and I do mean crap!"

"Thank you," said Neji, coldly. Hinata giggled. Apparently, she would not be deflecting Naruto anytime soon.

"Naruto, shut up," said Ten-Ten, pushing him out of the way and staring down at Neji, too.

Neji slitted his eyes to glare up at the two brash faces hovering over him. Wait, now three. Rock Lee was shoving his way into the viewing line. Why did he feel like the leading man at a funeral? He shut his eyes, let go of Hinata's hand and crossed his arms over his chest, preparing to wait them out.

The room grew quiet.

He opened his eyes again to see everyone staring at him with their mouths open.

"What?" he said with irritation.

"You look like a fucking corpse, man," shouted Naruto. He crossed his arms across his chest and let his head fall back. "I'm dead, I'm dead," he moaned. Ten-Ten elbowed him sharply. "Ow! What? Didn't he look like he died?"

"Go away," said Neji, quickly uncrossing his arms and attempting a more lively posture. Which was difficult when flat on his back tucked securely into a hospital bed. "I'm supposed to be resting. You are not restful. Leave."

"Can't, man," said Naruto, grinning, "Lady Tsunade says our mission is to cheer you up."

"Fat chance," said Neji, gruffly. What did that mean, a mission to cheer him up?

"Yes, my friend," chimed in Lee. The intense Taijutsu ninja nodded emphatically, "Lady Tsunade has said that we can help you by sharing our youthful joy and boundless energy."

"Now, Lee," boomed the lovely alto voice of the Fifth Hokage, "Don't misrepresent me." The handsome woman strode up to the bedside, pushing Naruto and Lee aside. "There will be no sharing of youthful joy and boundless energy in _my _hospital!" She filled her hands with Chakra and ran them lightly over Neji's face, frowning. Her hands ran down his throat, spread out at his shoulders and brought them back to hover over his chest. "Hmm. I still see the flow is somehow being interrupted. It is much better than yesterday, however." She stepped away and glared down at the young Hyuugi. "I have asked your friends to visit because I believe your Chakra will be stimulated by interactions with other people. Prove me right." She marched off, pushing the door open forcefully and letting it swing back with a bang.

Neji's half-closed eyes followed the shapely woman as she exited. He sighed in exasperation. What kind of information was that? He didn't know anything more now than he did when Sakura had visited.

"Well," said Ten-Ten, heaving a gusty sigh. She turned away from the bed, hopped in the air, twisted half-around and landed on her bottom next to Neji's feet. She shoved his legs over and leaned back against the footboard, crossing her own elegant ankles. "Move over, stud. Looks like it's time to start cheering you up."

"Oof," huffed Neji, moving his legs a little more. He blushed a little, acutely aware that his legs were next to his teammate's on a bed. With a large audience. He had never felt more vulnerable in his life.

Naruto and Lee were inspecting an enormous basket of fruit on the bed stand, arguing furiously.

"We can't take any," hissed Lee, "This is obviously a gift to Neji-san. Not for guests." His large, round eyes seem to grow rounder with longing.

"Oh, come on," said Naruto, pulling out an apple and polishing it vigorously on his jacket. The tall, lanky blonde waved it under Lee's nose. "C'mon, Lee," he said, enticingly, "you know you want it."

"No," said Lee, resolutely. "I must be strong! 200 hundred thumb push-ups for almost succumbing to temptation!" he announced, dropping to the floor and carrying out his exercise plan.

Naruto shrugged and bit into the apple with a satisfying crunch. "Your loss," he shrugged. He looked around the hospital room. "Hey, Neji, this is a pretty cool room. You're all by yourself."

"Not really," said Neji, dryly. Ten-Ten chuckled and bumped his feet with her bottom.

"You know you love it," she said, grinning at him.

"Not really," he said. She stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry.

Hinata, who had been watching Naruto with ill-disguised admiration, picked up the fruit basket, looking conflicted.

"Neji-san, do – do you m-mind if people have s-some –," she started.

"Just pass it around," growled Neji.

"Ooh!" crowed Ten-Ten, "Toss me an orange, Hinata!" Hinata complied and Ten-Ten bounced wildly to catch it, almost falling off the bed. She snuggled closer to Neji's legs, leaning against them casually. She patted his thigh. "See, Neji, aren't we cheering you up nicely?"

"Hah!" said Neji. He was at a complete loss. In his four years with Team Gai, he had rarely allowed people to get near him. Let alone snuggle up to his legs and steal his food. He should be irate, but, oddly, he felt fine. His headache was gone, and the pain in his eyes had subsided to a mere irritation. Maybe Lady Tsunade was right. Interactions with his team-mates did seem to be cheering him up nicely.

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_**A/N: See? Had to sneak in a little lighter fare. Hope you liked it. Please review. And I mean you, yes, you. =D**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**Sorry for the length, but needed to put in some ground work. **_

_**Mini Medical Glossary:**_

_**AMN = Advanced Medical Ninja (my own term, but hey, why not?)**_

_**HE = headache**_

_**Pt = patient**_

_**q = every**_

_**L = left (and, yes, R means right)**_

_**IV = intravenous**_

_**IM = intramuscular, that's when the long needle goes right straight in and makes the ninja's cry**_

_**ADLs = activities of daily living; i.e. bathing, etc.**_

_**prn = as needed**_

_**I'll try not to write too many medical notes, although, current setting is in a hospital, remember?**_

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"Lady Tsunade," said Hyuuga Hiashi coldly, staring down his nose at the handsome woman. Unfortunately, she seemed completely unimpressed by his icy pale glare. "I do not understand this treatment method at all. I have paid for a private room to allow my nephew to get the bed rest you have recommended, yet you have encouraged these –," he sought for the right word, something that would express his disdain for her methods without incurring her wrath, "_teammates _to sprawl all over making noise and keeping him agitated."

The Fifth Hokage stared at the haughty clan chief over her tented hands. She leaned back in her comfortable chair and pushed away from the desk she was sitting behind. She picked up a medical chart from the desk top and opened it, reading it intently.

Lord Hyuuga suppressed his impatience with difficulty. Really, the woman was impossible. Brilliant, yes, the best medical ninja in the world, some said. And there was no denying that she was a pleasure to look at. He knew she used a jutsu to halt the signs of aging. Who didn't? He didn't advertise, but his own silvering hair was kept a youthful brown with a few hand-signs every day. He appreciated women making an effort to maintain their beauty. And Lady Tsunade was a real beauty. He ran his eyes down her honey-blonde hair, straight, elegant nose, full, rosy lips, more than full rosy bosom. He halted his cataloguing of her physical charms to bring his pale eyes quickly up to meet hers. Her beautiful, really beautiful, large dark golden eyes snapped in anger.

"Finished staring?" she said.

Hiashi wisely refrained from answering.

"Hmph!" she said, irritably. She threw the medical chart down on the desk and thumped her index finger on the top page. "As I said, something has disrupted your nephew's Chakra flow."

"Is it," he hesitated, briefly. "Is it the curse seal?"

It was a subject he did not like to discuss. Especially with those outside the Hyuuga clan. As clan leader for all the Hyuuga's, Main and Branch families, it was his duty to enforce the use of the curse seal. But he didn't have to like it.

As the first-born son of twins, he had become heir to the Main Hyuuga family. He had been separated from his brother when they were five and still remembered the pain of that loss. His training in the use of Byukugan bloodline had continued while his brother had been cursed with the seal that prevented the family jutsu. The fact that Neji had somehow been able to overcome his own curse seal and learn to use the Chakra discerning eyes and jutsu without instruction seemed miraculous to him. He had secretly rejoiced, wishing that in some way his brother could see what a fine man his son was becoming.

Now, Neji was stricken down. His eyes were affected. Could it be the curse seal activating belatedly? Stealing Neji's hard-won abilities? He prayed to the Gods that it wasn't so. He and his nephew were finally coming to an understanding, a grudging relationship of mutual respect. He looked up to find Lady Tsunade studying him speculatively.

"I don't think so. I think he has been affected by a virus, some odd bug, and, with some rest, he'll get better."

Hiashi felt a wave of relief wash over him, but he maintained his cold and haughty appearance. Or at least he thought he did. He noticed Lady Tsunade's right eyebrow lift quizzically. Perhaps he had not hidden his feelings quite as well as he thought. He seized on her last words to cover his lapse in expression.

"Yes, that brings me to my original complaint," he said, firmly, determined to make his point. "How is he to have complete rest with all those children in his room?"

"Hmm. Take a look at this," Tsundada turned the chart around and pushed it toward him across the desk. Hiashi leaned forward and read the notes.

_21:52 Pt agitated, Chakra monitor at 76%. Pt unresponsive to verbal stimuli. Pt has scratched L eye. Restraints in place to prevent further injury. Will monitor restraints, Chakra and vitals q 15 mins per hospital protocol --- Haruno Sakura, AMN_

There followed a series of Chakra and restraint checks, ending with:

_06:00 Pt awake, somewhat disoriented. Does not appear to remember coming to hospital. Chakra monitor at 77%, Eyes appear extremely light sensitive. C/O HE. Unable to lift head w/o pain. Chakra pooling around aortic arch at left ventricular valve and is partially blocked along the brachiocephalic artery. Application of Chakra to site has allowed the blockage to lessen. Restraints have been removed at pts request. Pt instructed to refrain from using Byakugan jutsu at this time. Pt verbalized understanding. Pt to perform ADLs with med nin assistance. Remove catheter and IV drip. IM pain medication q 4-6 hours prn (see order sheet) ---- Haruno Sakura, AMN_

While he didn't understand all the medical jargon, he understood the jist of the note. His nephew was ill. Very ill, and his eyes and ability were affected. He looked up and stared at the Hokage a little blindly.

"I don't –," he started.

"Here," said Tsunade, pointing a little further down the page. "Keep reading."

_09:30 Pt awake, oriented. Chakra pooling still evident along aortic arch. Blockage along the brachiocephalic artery at approx. 50%. Chakra levels remain low betw. 72 – 77%._

"This is my note right after your visit. Do you see the Chakra level? At 72%? Normally, a healthy Chuunin like Neji would have a Chakra level of at least 96 to 98 %. We don't even measure Chakra from someone like Naruto. His levels are completely off the charts." Tsunade's lip quirked in a faint smile at the thought of the boisterous, exasperating, knuckleheaded ninja and his boundless Chakra reserves.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with Neji," said Hiashi, impatiently. "What is it you expect me to see?"

Tsunade sighed and pointed again to the medical record.

"See this last entry? This is what I mean."

Hiashi studied the chart again.

_10:30 Pt alert, oriented X 3. Chakra levels 82%, pooling less evident, brachiocephalic blockage reduced to approx. 45 %. _

Hiashi looked up at her with a spark of enlightenment.

"Somehow those _teammates_ are healing him," said Tsunade sternly. "The interaction with _children_ who care about him seems to be doing more for his health than anything I can do."

Hiashi felt stung. He cared about Neji. He just didn't show it.

"Hmm," he said, "I will allow this – treatment – to continue, as long as you can show me improving results." He stood up and gave the Hokage a courteous bow, low enough to show respect for her station, but not so deep that he gave up any of the respect he was due. "I will review his situation with you tomorrow, Tsunade-sama." The Hyuuga clan leader swept from the room with an arrogant swish of his elegant robes. He ignored the loud snort he heard from the beautiful konoichi.

The medical chart gave him an idea, and he was not about to let the petty responses of a beautiful woman stand in his way.

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Hyuuga Hiashi hesitated briefly at the door to Neji's house. Not that he didn't have the right to enter any building in the Hyuugi compound. As clan leader any and all doors were theoretically open to him. It was a theory he rarely tested. Like all the Hyuugas, the tall widower was noted for his deep reserve. He was a very private man and respected the privacy of others. He felt a twinge of conscious at the invasion, but brushed it aside. It was important to focus on Neji's health, not his probable outrage at his uncle's trespass.

Hiashi slid the door open, removed his shoes, leaving them neatly outside and stepped into the dwelling. He singled Jun, one of the house servants who accompanied him, to wait outside. Jun bowed low and settled down to wait.

The house was dark and quiet. It was the second time Hiashi remembered being inside. The first time had been to mourn the death of his twin, sacrificed for the sake of Konoha and the Hyuuga family.

When Hiashi's daughter, Hinata, had been kidnapped, Hiashi had slain the Land of Lightning Ninja who had taken her. The Land of Lightning refused to acknowledge the kidnapping and demanded Hyuuga Hiashi's execution in retribution. Hiashi had been prepared to take his own life to satisfy the demands. Refusing them could have been used to launch another Ninja war, something he could prevent. He felt no qualms about using his death to save his clan and village.

He was stopped forcefully by his brother. Hizashi offered himself up to serve as body-double to satisfy the Land of Lightning's Kage. He performed the seppuku ritual while Hiashi and the clan elders watched. Hiashi dreamed about it at night, dreamed that he had not been held back by the weight of clan tradition and that he had stopped his brother and killed himself.

He had never really gotten to know Hizashi after they had been separated. Occasionally, they had been together at large banquets or other functions. They had not spoken to one another.

Still, at odd times, during their separate lives, he had felt pain or happiness or anger, and he knew that those feelings came from Hizashi. He had wondered, over the years, if Hizashi had felt anything from him. It seemed, sometimes, that all the emotions he had were those he had stolen from his twin. Just as he had stolen his life. It made no difference that Hizashi had begged for the right to sacrifice himself. Hizashi's bitterness against the clan and the wretched enslavement of the Hyuugi curse mark gave him the right to ask for the freedom to take his brother's place. In the end, Hiashi had agreed, bowing low to show his deep respect for his brother. It was his brother who showed true honor, while he hid behind clan tradition.

A jolt of fresh grief and guilt ripped through his guts and he staggered for a moment.

"I will do this for you, brother," he whispered, pulling himself up. He looked around the dark vestibule to orient himself. The house was old, made of heavy, dark wood, built with the same floor plans the clan had used for a century. Entrance onto a tiny enclosed garden that lead to the main courtyard of the Hyuugi compound, small kitchen to the left with a pantry and a room for a servant beyond it, dining area and living room to the right leading to the family bedrooms. It looked like anyone and no one could live in the space. The living room was as impersonal as a hotel lobby. Perhaps even more so. Hiashi frowned. Even in his own strictly disciplined household there were signs indicating that people lived there. Here, there was nothing. No pictures, no fresh flowers, nothing out of place. It was as immaculate and sterile as the hospital room he had insisted on.

He moved through the living room, pausing for a moment at the door of the first bedroom. This had been his brother's bedroom and he had a moment's fear that he would open the door to see his brother's corpse laid out on his futon. He shook his head impatiently. It was not like him to get this fanciful. He slid the door open and had to stop himself from gaping.

Whatever personality the other rooms lacked, this room had in abundance. The walls were lined with shelves crammed with scrolls, books and CDs, neatly arranged by category. There was a large electronic keyboard almost in the center of the room, hooked up to a computer, microphone and mixing board. Several different flutes lay next to the keyboard along with a shamisen and some percussion instruments.

The equipment looked sophisticated and very expensive. Hiashi had not been asked to spend more than Neji's allowance over the years. The boy must have used his own mission pay-checks to pay for everything. It was most impressive.

Hiashi remembered that Neji had been spoken of as having some musical talent, but all such talk had faded when the boy had gone into the village Academy. It seemed that his nephew had been continuing his own training, just as he had when learning to use the Byakugan blood line. He noticed that there were several CDs labeled in Neji's careful hand. He picked up one marked 'Team Gai' and slipped it into the CD player tucked behind the computer. After a moment music filled the room.

Neji had used the keyboard and mixer to the fullest. First, came an opening sequence of horn music, loud, brash, as bright and bombastic as Mighto Gai himself. Hiashi smiled as the Gai theme was repeated a little more shrilly, and he could see Gai's favorite student, Lee, in his mind. The two horn motifs echoed each other in a fugue of sound that whirled like the famous duos Whirlwind fighting style. The music suddenly stopped. Hiashi felt a chill as the theme changed slightly, played this time on the shamisen. The plucked notes of the more delicate melody lifted up out of the silence, unaccompanied, then fell back a little to allow the sweet breathy trills of the shakuhachi to thrill upwards. Cascading ribbons of bells wrapped around the flute, punctuated by sharp percussive notes and Hiashi remembered Ten-Ten's fight at the Chuunin exam, her slim, elegant body wrapped in descending ribbons of scroll and the deadly weapons she launched from them. Underneath it swelled a darker piano theme, a circular throbbing beat that supported the shakuhachi menacingly. This must be Neji's theme, painful and inevitable. Hiashi closed his eyes, letting the music resonate through him. The lighter sounds of the flute faded away, leaving the increasingly compelling piano to carry the theme forward. The tempo increased and the harsh plucked notes of the shamisen burst out in regular patterns. In his mind's eye, Hiashi could see the eight trigrams sixty-four palms that lead up to the ultimate Hyuugi defense, the rotation. The music swirled around him, all instruments engaged in an insistent crescendo that left him breathless. He felt stretched by the power of the music. The tower of sound was almost unbearable and it was with relief that he heard the final ending chords that brought the four team member themes together.

_This boy is amazing,_ he thought. He shook his head in bewilderment. There were so many other CDs. If even half of them had music on them as powerful as the piece he just heard -, well, Neji was a prodigy in more than the Gentle Fist fighting style. He pawed through the CD collection, selecting some and setting them aside. He added one of the shakuhachi to the pile and looked around the rest of the room.

A large desk stood under the window, writing implements laid out neatly on the polished surface. On it were several framed pictures. Hiashi stepped over to them and studied them carefully.

There was an old picture of Hizashi and his wife, holding a baby, their faces clearly showed their joy, beaming proudly. There was a team picture showing a radiant Mighto Gai, an equally radiant Rock Lee, pretty Ten-Ten with bright eyes, holding a kunai to her chest, and an aloof Neji, standing slightly away from the group. He added that to the CDs and flute. A picture lay on its face, the only thing out of place on the desk.

It was a clan picture, taken about a year ago. He stood in the center, Hinata and Hanabi on either side of him. The clan elders and Main and Branch family members were arranged stiffly around them according to rank and family position. Neji could be seen standing at the left of Hanabi. Not a person smiled in the picture. The famous pale Hyuuga stare was on every face. Hiashi shuddered slightly. It was a grim portrait of the joylessness of his clan. As he put the picture back down on its face, a small photo dropped out of the back. He picked it up and glance at it.

It was a bent and faded black and white snapshot of him and Hizashi. They had their arms slung around their shoulders and were grinning at the photographer widely. Their smiles had the same missing front tooth and they looked dirty and sweaty and utterly happy.

Hiashi had to sit down.

He remembered that day. The day before their fifth birthday. The day before they were separated forever, Hiashi to be trained as clan heir and leader, Hizashi to be sealed with the curse mark into clan slavery and death.

It was at that moment that Hiashi vowed he would never curse another Hyuuga child.

"Never again," he said to the smiling face of his twin. "I swear to you, Brother. Never again."

He tucked the picture back into the frame. It belonged to Neji and though he would have liked to keep it, he didn't feel he had the right.

He was here to help his brother's child, a child he had cursed with his own hand. He smiled, grimly.

It wasn't going to be easy. But it would be honorable.

He called for Jun and selected more items for his pile.

_**0000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: as noted above, I felt the need to lay some groundwork and I apologize for the redundant recap of the Hyuuga family secrets. I've got some friends I'm coaxing to read these and needed to give them some background. Can you believe that there are people who don't know a thing about Naruto? A crime, if you ask me.**_

_**Please let me know what you think. =D**_

**_Lots and lots of apologies to those of you who read this with all my mis-spelling of my main character's last name. Thank you so much for pointing this terrible gaffe out. I really hate it when names are wrong, too, so I doubly am smacking myself in the head for this. I promise to be more careful in the future. 8]_**


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Here comes the fluffy center to all the Sturm und Drang of the last chapter. Enjoy**_

_**P.S. I do not own Naruto.**_

_**0000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 6**

**Can you hear me?**

Not that Neji would have admitted it, but he couldn't wait to get back to his hospital room and crawl under the cool sheets.

He was totally, utterly exhausted. His head and eyes ached and the nausea had returned.

He lay on the gurney, his eyes closed to the dizzying sight of the hallway lights changing as Kenji pushed him through the hospital to his room.

He had undergone every possible test the hospital had to offer, and a couple of impossible ones, too. Since the virus hadn't killed him, it seemed that the medical ninjas were bound and determined to finish the task. At this point, he didn't think he would have minded. At least the pain would be gone. He didn't even mind his prone and public ride through the hospital corridors. Why should he worry what he looked like when he was at death's door, anyway?

"Sorry, buddy," Kenji's voiced boomed above his head and he winced slightly.

"I'll get you back soon and you can get some more pain meds."

He could tell by the softer lights and the hushed sounds that Kenji had finally pushed him into the private wing where his room was located. Thank the Gods. Neji longed for the promised medication's release fervently, wondering for a moment if he was becoming addicted. He brushed the thought away. At this point, he didn't care. Addiction was something he could handle at a later date. Once the pain was gone.

The gurney stopped and he felt Kenji move to the other end to pull it through the door.

Almost there.

He almost screamed when Kenji stopped abruptly.

"Wow," Kenji's voice was hushed. He pulled the gurney through the door and let it close softly behind him. "This is – unbelievable."

Neji squinted his eyes open and peered painfully around. The pain blinded him and he couldn't see what had stopped Kenji. Whatever it was, he didn't like it. All he wanted was to get into bed and get that shot. If there was something in the room that was hindering this plan, he downright hated it.

"Bed," he growled.

"Hnh?" grunted Kenji, "Oh, yeah, sorry, bud. Got distracted for a minute."

Restored to his usual efficiency, Kenji pushed the gurney along beside the bed and locked the wheels. He pulled the pristine sheets back and helped Neji scoot over onto the mattress, pulling the sheet up to Neji's chest.

Neji sighed in relief. The coolness of the bed welcomed him and he felt himself relax a little. He barely registered when Kenji left with the gurney and returned to push up the sleeve of his hospital gown. The sting of the shot actually felt good, especially when he knew there would be some relief soon.

He was asleep when Kenji checked his Chakra levels and turned off the room lights.

_**00000000000000000000000000000**_

"Oh, man!" shouted Naruto, flinging himself onto one of the comfortable armchairs in the room. "This is awesome. I take it back, Hinata, your Dad's not just a scary guy, he's an _awesome_ scary guy! I think I'm in love!"

Hinata looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled her shy smile. She glanced over at Neji lying in the bed staring at the ceiling.

"Th-thank you, Naruto-kun," said the raven-haired kunoichi, hesitantly. "Father wanted to do something nice for N-Neji, and –," she stopped, her index fingers fiddling in front of her.

"Why did he do this?" snapped Neji. "I don't understand."

He really didn't understand. What did his uncle want from him? What was his purpose in transforming the room into this comfortable – whatever – lounge, or something? He turned his head and glared around the room again for about the hundredth time, as if the fury in his glance would somehow erase the changes in the space.

The room was large and before this transformation had held a small sofa, table and two hard straight-backed chairs. Now, the sofa was replaced with a much more luxurious one, and the chairs with overstuffed armchairs. There was still a table, but this one was made of fine wood and was low enough to use as a footstool, as Naruto obligingly demonstrated. There were large cushions piled next to the table which rested on a gorgeous rug, and a large flat-screen TV was hanging on the wall opposite. Several gaming systems were hooked up below the screen and he could hear Ten-Ten reading off the game titles with a gloating voice. Lee was busily performing an inventory on a small refrigerator and reading off the labels of different drinks.

"Oh, I love this one!"

"Veggi-apricot! Known for its healthful properties."

"Ooh, I love this one, too!"

"Soy-milk with extra protein! Wonderful!"

It wasn't the ostentatious display of wealth that got him so mad. No, not at all, although it was kind of embarrassing.

It wasn't even the team picture on top of the fine music system set up next to his bed.

What really bugged him was the collection of CDs his uncle had brought. Some of them his own tracks. Which meant that his uncle had gone into his house and gotten them. And maybe even listened to them.

He writhed inwardly with horror. His uncle had gone through his things, revealed his innermost thoughts. It was humiliating.

"Nii-san?" stuttered Hinata, standing shyly next to the bed. "I – I hope you are n-not too angry with Father."

He gritted his teeth. Angry? If the old fart was standing here now, he'd kill him.

"H-he wanted you to be comfortable and t-to make your friends comfortable," continued Hinata, earnestly defending the man who belittled her at every opportunity.

Neji relaxed a little. His relationship with Hinata had grown immeasurably since the Chuunin exams. He had hated her back then, despising her shyness and sweet ways, resenting her place as Hyuugi heir, while he was sealed like his father. He had tried to kill her, with the cold implacable fury of despair. Despite him, though, she had fought on, forcing him to really see the depth of strength hidden behind the gentle nature. As she struggled to stand before him during the final moments of that terrible battle, dripping blood, her Chakra depleted by his vicious attacks, he recognized her inner dignity and saw forgiveness in her eyes.

"He brought some of my music," he said quietly. Hinata nodded, and smiled gently. She had been allowed to listen to some of Neji's compositions for the past year and knew how difficult it was for him to share this part of himself.

"Ooh, music!" crowed Naruto, shuffling through the stack of CDs.

"N-Naruto!" said Hinata, trying to intercept the hyperactive jinchuriki.

"Hey!" said Neji, struggling to get up and out of the bed.

"Look, this one says 'Team Gai'!', shouted Naruto, loading the disc into the player. "I didn't know you had a CD, Lee."

"Really?" said Lee, abandoning the mini-fridge and heading over to the bed. Ten-Ten followed, dropping a game cartridge carelessly on the floor. "I didn't know we did, either."

"Stop," said Neji, weakly, struggling to unwrap the sheet that had somehow managed to entangle his legs

Ten-Ten and Lee sat down on the edge of the bed, effectively blocking Neji from crawling over to turn off the player.

The opening horn music filled the room.

Neji fell back onto the bed with a groan. He shut his eyes and waited tensely for the snorts of laughter.

He heard nothing.

Nothing.

Except for the music, circling and spiraling around the room.

He opened his eyes to a narrow slit when Ten-Ten's theme started. His heart pounded painfully in his chest and he thought for a moment that he was having another attack as he tried to gauge her reaction. Would she like it? Would she be insulted? Would she understand that all the things he never said to her were here in this music? He could only see the curve of her cheek and the edge of her ear, the long beautiful line of her neck and spine. She sat perfectly still next to him on the bed, listening intently.

He felt despair wash over him.

This was not how he wanted to play his music to her. He had been working up to inviting her over to his house one night, perhaps for supper. Of course, it was taking a lot longer to finally ask her then he had anticipated. By about three years. Still, he wanted to get it just right. He had only made it through a number of scenarios where he introduced his music to her. He wasn't nearly ready for her to actually hear it. He closed his eyes again and groaned internally. Damn that Naruto.

The music ended with a loud flourish and the musician side of him critiqued it. He still thought it was his best piece yet, but it needed a little bit more percussion in the first and third sections.

All thoughts were blown from his head when Ten-Ten jumped from the bed and hurried into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Wow, Neji," said Naruto, in surprisingly hushed tones, "Hinata says you wrote that. That was really awesome. I could really see all the team in my head. It was great."

"Uh, thanks," said Neji, anxiously straining to hear something from the bathroom. Was she sick? Was she laughing? Did she hate it – him? Did she - love it – him? His mind stuttered around the thought.

"Neji!" cried Lee, tearfully, flinging himself on Neji's chest and embracing him awkwardly. "That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. You are truly a musical master!"

Neji struggled briefly under his emotional teammate, then gave it up for a lost cause.

Was she coming out?

The door to the room opened and two more people and a large white dog tumbled in.

"Whoa!" said Kiba, grinning broadly, baring his fangs. "Am I interrupting anything? Nudge, nudge? Wink, wink?"

"H-hello, Kiba," said Hinata graciously. She squeaked when Kiba swept her up in his arms and planted a kiss on her nose.

"Hello, there, beautiful," said the cocky dog-ninja, cheerfully. "Looks like Neji and Lee need some alone time. How about if I take you away from all this?" He waggled his brows at her blushing face suggestively. He looked around the room and put her down abruptly. "On second thought, this has got to be the best gaming set-up I've ever seen!" He hurried over to the TV and started going through the cartridges.

"Oh, I love this one!"

"Ooh, I love this one, too!"

He didn't see Naruto stalking up to him. Naruto slapped him on the back of the head.

"Hey," shouted Kiba, "What was that for?"

"Apologize!" said the riled blond.

"What?" Kiba looked around. "What for? I took a shower before I came."

"You picked up Hinata!" said Naruto, pointing at the lavender-eyed beauty. "Look at her! She's all out of breath and everything."

Kiba obliged by staring at Hinata. He broke out into a wide grin and winked at her.

"Oh, yes, Hinata," he said, wickedly. "You _are _all out of breath, aren't you?"

"Oh, Sakura-chan," said Hinata loudly, "Are you here to check up on Neji-san?"

"Protect him, more likely!" said Sakura, tartly. "Lee, get off of Neji. He's sick."

"Right away, Sakura-chan!" Lee shoved off from Neji briskly.

"Oof!" said Neji, his eyes watering from the blow.

"Sorry, my friend," said Lee, "I allowed my manly emotions to overcome me. I apologize. 500 laps around the hospital in compensation for my lapse of judgment." He raced out of the room. "No, 1000 laps if I don't make it back in 5 minutes!" His voice trumpeted from the hallway.

Sakura shook her pink head, and looked down at Neji with a frown.

"I don't know how this happens, but your Chakra levels are really up. Almost 85%." She let her hands hover for a moment over Neji's chest. "The blockage is down a little, too. You'd think, with all this racquet going on that you'd be worse." She waved her hand dismissively over at Naruto and Kiba who were bickering amicably over which game to play first. "I'll make them leave, if it gets too much for you." She looked decidedly pleased at the thought and cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"No," said Neji, "I don't mind, really." He was surprised to find that it was true. He was actually enjoying all the noise and commotion.

Although, he would enjoy it a lot more if he knew what was happening in the bathroom. Why wasn't she coming out? He considered engaging the Byakugan and looking through the door, but decided he didn't want to know what was going on. Or maybe he did. He made the hand gestures and was about to whisper the jutsu name, when Sakura belted him in the arm.

"Stop that!" she said, "I told you not to do that until you are medically cleared. What are you trying to see anyway?" She turned and looked at the bathroom. "Is someone in there?" She turned on Neji with frightening speed. "Were you spying on someone using the bathroom?"

"Oooh," said Naruto, "guess now he's getting all pervy."

"Who's pervy?" said Kiba, looking around the room and sniffing with interest.

"No," said Neji, weakly. "I was just worried…" He looked over at Hinata desperately. She gave a little jump.

"Oh! Oh, uh, yes, Sakura-chan," said Hinata, with a worried tone. "Ten-Ten has been in there for a while. I h-hope she's alright."

Sakura marched over to the bathroom door and gave it a sharp rap.

"TenTen, are you okay?"

There was a muffled, "Fine, fine."

Neji frowned. If she was fine, why didn't she come out?

The toilet flushed.

"Courtesy flush!" shouted Naruto and Kiba, turning back to their game avidly.

"Hinata," said Naruto, "Come on over here and sit with us." He patted a cushion on the floor next ot him and between the two boys.

"Yes, Hinata," said Kiba, waggling his eyebrows again. "Come and sit down beside _Naruto _and me."

Hinata swayed a moment, then stumbled over to sit between the two. Kiba laughed and bumped her with his shoulder, knocking the petite kunoichi into Naruto.

"Good job, little girl," he said, grinning broadly.

She smiled weakly back.

The door to the bathroom opened and TenTen stepped out, shaking her hands as if to dry them.

"Hi, Sakura-chan," she said, brightly.

Neji studied her anxiously. Did it seem as though her eyes were a little red? Had she been crying? Had she hated the music so much that it made her _cry_?

He was startled when she came over to the bed and sat on it.

He stopped breathing when she pulled her legs up on the bed next to him and leaned against the footboard.

And started breathing again when she stared at him with her beautiful chocolate brown eyes full of wonder and tears.

"Thank you," she mouthed.

He stopped breathing again and only remembered to start when she kicked him.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: Doesn't it seem like Hinata is not the only Hyuuga who suffers from chronic shyness? Anyway, that's my take, and I'm using to my advantage.**_

_**Please review.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 7**

**Barriers**

Lord Hyuuga Hiashi stood before the door, preparing his entrance.

Yes, he was a powerful clan leader.

Yes, his implacable stare had been known to drive fear into men's hearts.

Yes, he was renowned for his sharp mind and cool composure.

Yes, he was nervous about entering his nephew's room.

He had taken a step that was completely unprecedented. He had gone out of his way to give a member of the Branch family comfort. And now he had to face the consequences.

He squared his shoulders and started to push the door open.

"Buck up, man," said Lady Tsunade, smacking him between the shoulder blades and pushing ahead of him through the door. "They won't eat you," she grinned over her shoulder, wolfishly, "but I might!" She smacked her lips loudly and laughed at his horrified expression.

Hiashi recovered from his stumble and pulled himself up to his full, and quite impressive, six-foot three-inches height. He stared down his nose at the beautiful woman, and tried not to let the stare slide further down into the shadows of her cleavage.

She snickered and he pulled his gaze up sharply. Really, this woman always had him at a disadvantage. It was quite annoying.

"I am perfectly capable of opening a door on my own, Lady Tsunade," he said haughtily, then stopped in alarm when he saw the eager audience watching him and the blonde Hokage.

The room was filled with young people, sprawled on the sofa and chairs and floor, lounging on the bed, laughing, playing music and generally doing what he had hoped they would do when he first thought up the idea of exchanging the dull hospital furnishing with more comfortable chairs. It should have made him glad to see how well his plan had worked. And it did make him glad. He just didn't expect all these children to be here when he made his own visits.

"F-father!" said Hinata, jumping up from the floor and blushing a deep rose.

"Ow!" said Naruto, as his head bounced out of her lap and hit the floor with a loud crack. "Hinata-san, why'd you – Oh, hi, Hyuuga-sama, I gotta say, this room is awesome!"

Hiashi stared down in distaste as the cheerful blonde jinchuuriki jumped up to greet him. He was surprised to find that his pale eyes were almost at a level with the shinobi. He narrowed those eyes suspiciously. Had Hinata actually been holding this lout's head in her lap?

He opened his mouth, about to reprimand the girl and remind her of the kind of behavior that was expected of a daughter of the Hyuuga clan. Behavior that did not include cuddling the head of someone as dangerous as the vessel for the Kyuubi no Youko, the nine-tailed fox demon.

Tsunade smacked him hard in the chest, glaring at him evilly.

"Don't you dare," she hissed. She looked significantly around the room and then back at him, an eyebrow raised imperiously. He followed her glance and saw that the happy group he had interrupted when he entered the room was now tense and anxious. Reading their faces he could see worry for Hinata, who was standing with her head lowered and her shoulders hunched, waiting for him to verbally chastise her. And there was worry, also, for Naruto, who was standing before him with a dangerous smile on his lips, waiting to see what the Hyuuga would do.

Hiashi smiled a brief chilly smile. "Thank you, Naruto-san, I'm glad you enjoy the – er – comforts."

The tension in the room expelled with an almost audible sigh. He saw his daughter smile up at him with a warm shyness that made him feel inexplicably shy himself.

He cleared his throat, ignoring the Fifth Hokage's nod of approval, and walked over to his nephew's bed.

Neji was propped up against the headboard, looking much more himself. His hospital gown had been replaced with a pair of silk pajamas from home and his hair was brushed and pulled back neatly in his usual low ponytail. His ninja band was tied over his forehead, covering the curse mark.

_He looks so much like Hizashi, _thought the Hyuuga clan leader.

Neji's teammate, TenTen lounged at the foot of the bed with Nara Shikamaru. They were looking up at him from an interrupted game of shogi. A quick glance at the board confirmed everything Hiashi had heard about the shadow ninja. He was beating Neji, but not by a lot. Hiashi felt a rush of pride for his nephew's skill at the strategical game. He had played against Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru's father, many times when they were both Chuunin, and he had a healthy respect for anyone who could hold their own against either of the Naras. He waved his hand towards the three, indicating that they should remain seated.

"Thank you, Uncle," said Neji, stiffly, bowing his head, "for the gifts you have given me. My friends and I are most appreciative of the honor you do us."

Hiashi bowed shallowly to the boy, acknowledging his thanks. He realized, ruefully, that Neji was annoyed, probably over the CD collection Hiashi had brought over. He had noted that a CD was playing, but it was not one of Neji's. Those personal CDs were out of sight, probably in the bedside table drawer. He was disappointed. He would have liked to listen to them again, perhaps discuss them with his nephew. Well, it was not to happen this evening. Perhaps, when Neji returned home he would be able to persuade the prickly boy into playing his music for him.

"You seem to be much better," boomed Tsunade staring down at the young Chuunin with her fists on her hips.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," said Neji, shortly. "I hope I will be able to return home soon." He frowned at her significantly.

She smiled blandly. "We will see, we will see. At this point, you do seem to be improving, but I wouldn't like to rush anything." She turned and surveyed the group. "Continue keeping your friend company, you lot. We need him in shape quickly."

The shinobi nodded their heads in agreement.

"Don't worry, Grandma," said Naruto, cheerfully, throwing himself onto a floor cushion, "I don't plan on leaving here anytime soon!"

Hiashi was shocked at the jinchuuriki's insolent way of speaking to the blonde Godaime. Shocked and secretly thrilled. He felt his face twitch and sternly pulled it back into its usual impassive appearance. The Hokage was not as successful at masking her ire, he noted with an inward snicker.

"Naruto," said the Slug Princess, loudly, "I have told you time and again NOT to call me Grandma."

Naruto nodded, sagely. "Yes," he said, "Yes, you have. And I never listen, do I, Granny?" He winked at her cheekily.

Hiashi felt his face twitch again. He followed the Fifth Hokage as she stalked out of the room in a huff, grinning like a devil. Inside, of course. Outside, his face remained as smooth as glass.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

Hiashi nearly ran into the blonde Godaime when she stopped abruptly in front of him. She turned and frowned.

"Well, Hyuuga-sama?" she said, "What do you think of my treatment plan?"

Hiashi lifted an elegant brow and looked down at her. He wasn't sure what to say. Hadn't he shown his belief in her by transforming Neji's room into a place that would support her plan?

He kept silent.

"Hmm," said the kunoichi, turning on him and poking him in the chest with her shapely index finger. "Don't want to admit that I was right?" She kept her finger pressed against his sternum, then bent it up so that her palm rested, warm and solid on his chest.

What did she want him to say? And why was she touching him so familiarly? And why was she touching him in such a public place? And why wasn't he taking her hand off him?

He reached up and put his own hand over hers, pressing it a little. He frowned down into her beautiful eyes. What did this touch mean?

"That was a very nice thing you did, Hiashi-san," she said, softly. Her low husky voice sent shivers down his spine.

He opened his suddenly dry mouth to say something, then shut it again.

She pulled her hand away with a grin and walked down the corridor back towards the main hospital.

Hiashi stood frowning. He felt off-kilter, confused. He, who had negotiated lucrative trading deals with the most ruthless of daimyos without breaking a sweat, was at a loss.

"Coming?" said the Fifth Hokage saucily over her shoulder. She paused at the doors to the next hallway, then shrugged and pushed through them.

Really, this woman always had him at a disadvantage. It was annoying. And very intriguing.

Hiashi followed her, moderating his pace so that he wouldn't look like he was hurrying.

Although, he was.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: That Tsunade, so wicked. I promise there will be more Neji/TenTen coming up. I just had to thank Hiashi for his thoughtfulness. Thank you for the feed-back reviewers have been giving me. The comments really help a lot. Please, don't stop! 8D**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**Things got a little out-of-hand with this one. Not sure how….well, you'll see…**_

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Broken Hearted: Chapter 8**

**Little 'This and That'**

"Oi, Naruto," called Tenten. The lanky blonde ignored her completely. He was negotiating a tricky warehouse filled with zombies and wasn't about to stop. "Naruto, throw me a cushion." The footboard of the hospital bed was digging into her back. Actually, it had been digging into her back for quite a while. She just hadn't wanted to move from her spot.

"Oh, man, that sucks!" said Naruto, as a zombie rushed his avatar. Without taking his eyes from the TV screen he grabbed a cushion and flung it in the general direction of the hospital bed.

Tenten pushed off enough to grab the pillow before it smacked into the bed. She landed on one hand with her knees straddling Neji's. The other hand held the pillow. She reached behind her and tucked it against the footboard, then sat back again and arranged her legs along his, wiggling her butt to get comfortable. She heard a small choking sound and looked over at him. He was leaning back against his pillows with his eyes shut and a slight frown. He looked flushed and tense, his hands gripping the sheets.

"Neji," she said, concerned, "Are you okay? Is the pain coming back?" She got on her hands and knees again, crawling forward to peer at him. She was stopped as his knees drew up under the sheets, blocking her. She frowned. "Should I get Sakura? Or that med-nin guy?"

"No, no," said Neji, keeping his knees up and gripping the sheets harder. "I'm fine. Just – uh – just sit back and make yourself comfortable."

"Okay," she said, moving back into what was becoming her favorite spot. She picked up the scroll she was studying and started reading again, glancing up occasionally to make sure he was okay.

_**0000000000000000000000000**_

Kiba lifted his shaggy head from the sofa arm. He was sprawled across the cushions with his long legs propped on the other arm, watching Naruto's game and drinking a beer. He sniffed the air.

Akamaru, lying by the sofa, lifted his head and sniffed the air, too.

The dog-ninja and ninja-dog both gave a huff of laughter.

"Pheromones, man," Kiba said. He laughed when Neji shot him a venomous glance, then hauled his tall form up and stretched, twisting his back sharply. The bones in his vertebrae popped into place with a satisfactory snap. "Time to go." He swigged down the rest of his beer and set the bottle on the coffee table. "Come on, Naruto,"

He walked around the table and kicked Naruto in the hip.

"Hunh?" said Naruto, irritably. "Go? I'm almost at the next level –," he frowned at Kiba. "Why are you making that face? I thought you wanted to play next?"

"It's getting late," said Kiba, hauling the reluctant zombie-killer up by the elbow and plucking the game controller out of his hand. "We're supposed to go on a short mission tomorrow, remember?"

"Hey," said Naruto, lunging for the controller. "I don't need a lot of sleep just to escort a bunch of merchants. Besides, Tenten and Hinata are still here. I don't see why I –."

"Wake Hinata up and take her home," growled the Inuzuka, grinning. He snagged his jacket from a pile on the floor. "Akamara, let's go. See ya, Neji. Tenten," he waved casually and strolled out the door, the large white dog following closely behind him.

_**00000000000000000000000000**_

Jeez. What was up with him?

He was starting to sound like a bitch with a new batch of puppies.

He grinned and shook his head.

What was he trying to do? Act like some kind of marriage counselor, or some shit like that?

It was one thing helping Hinata along. After all, she was his teammate, part of his pack, and once Shino explained why the girl kept fainting every time she was around Naruto, Kiba was all for helping her out.

Even though Naruto was kind of a dim-wad.

Kiba had to admit he'd missed the boat with Hinata. He'd discounted her just like everyone else back at the Academy. Since then, he'd come to respect her inner strength and determination after her struggle at the Chuunin exams. And, man, her jutsu skills with the Byakagun were really pretty amazing.

It didn't hurt that she'd developed a smokin' hot bod.

Still, she'd always had a thing for Naruto. Maybe because he always believed in her.

But, what the hell was he thinking?

Helping Neji out, of all people. Neji, the white-eyed wonder boy. The arrogant prick who looked down his nose at everyone, especially at the rough-and-tumble Iruzuka clan heir.

It was kind of funny seeing Neji lying helpless in a bed.

It was really funny when Tenten had crawled all over him.

Kiba hadn't been fooled by Neji's attempt to hide under the sheets.

Pheromones never lied.

Kiba stuck his hands in his pockets, whistling cheerfully. He and Akamaru sauntered out of the hospital and headed toward his favorite late night diner.

Pheromones always made him hungry.

_**00000000000000000000000000000**_

Naruto watched Kiba leave, scratching the back of his head. He looked around the room and it dawned on him that he, Hinata and Tenten were the only visitors left. He could tell that it was late.

"Hey, man," he said, glancing over at Neji, and smiling diffidently, "guess I oughta go." He looked over at one of the arm chairs where Hinata was curled up sleeping.

"You can stay, if you want," said Neji, frowning. He glanced at Tenten, who was totally absorbed in her scroll and seemed oblivious to what was going on.

"What do you think your uncle's going to do if I bring her home?" Naruto said, only half joking. The young men exchanged a serious look.

Naruto turned off the TV and crossed over to the armchair. He shook Hinata's shoulder gently.

"Hinata-chan, wake up."

The petite Lady Hyuuga stirred a little, snuffling in a completely un-lady-like way.

"N-Naruto-kun?" she sat up slowing, groaning a little as her cramped joints popped. She stretched her arms and yawned.

"Yep," said the big blonde, stepping back and letting her have some space. He grinned down at her. "I'll walk you home, Hinata, okay?"

Hinata froze with her arms over her head and her mouth open

"W-walk? H-home?" stuttered the kunoichi, her lavender eyes wide and her cheeks stained a brilliant pink.

"Uh-hunh," said Naruto, picking up his jacket and shrugging it on. He looked around the floor, frowning. "Hey, Hinata, where's your jacket?" He looked over at her quizzically. "Oh, you still got it on. Man, I don't know how you do that. Don't you get hot?" He walked over to her and helpfully hauled her out of the chair, putting his arm around her. "Whoops," he said, gripping her tighter as her knees buckled. "You must still be pretty sleepy. Almost fell down there." He swept her up into his arms. "I'll carry you until you wake up."

"C-carry? H-home?" the raven-haired girl gripped Naruto's jacket front tightly.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you," said Naruto, kindly. "Tenten, you want to walk with us?" Getting no response, he shrugged and kicked the door open. "Later, Neji!" he called cheerfully.

"H-home?"

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

Tenten gripped the scroll and stared down at it intently. The room was finally quiet. She and Neji were finally alone.

Of course, they had been alone before. As teammates they had spent many hours together, alone, and in the company of others. It just had never felt _this_ alone before.

The music she had heard still rang in her head. Music that he had written about her. He had thought about her. Thought about her enough to write something with her in mind.

Ever since the Academy days, she had had a crush on Neji. There was something about his standoffishness that just drew her like a magnet. He was always so perfect, so controlled. Even when training, he had never seemed at a loss.

She, on the other hand, was a total mess.

She had been taken into the Academy on scholarship, something set up for orphan and foster children who showed promise. She knew nothing about her parents. She'd tried to find out where she came from, but had never been able to find any records except an entry in a mission report about how she was found in a small village in the Land of Fire that had been attacked by robbers. She was the sole survivor, a toddler wandering among corpses. The jounin who rescued her found nothing that could identify her. No papers, no pictures, nothing.

The orphanage gave her the name Tenten, Little 'This and That'.

She thought it was a good name for her. This and that. Thrift store clothes and scholarships. Three different foster families. No last name, no clan. Just her abilities and her place on Team Gai.

It was the best day of her life when she got placed on the team. Oh, yeah, Mighto Gai was an eccentric. His legendary green spandex bodysuits took a lot of getting used to. Actually, they were downright embarrassing. But his kindness and his unconditional faith in the abilities of his team were like a balm to her starved heart. She was prepared to give her life for him. Give her life for him and her teammates.

She worked damn hard, too. She wasn't like Lee, shouting out personal and absurd challenges, or like Neji, who approached training like a methodical machine. But she was right there next to them, learning from them, teaching them, too, while developing her own formidable weapon skills. It didn't matter that she still crushed on Neji. She was not the kind of girl someone like him would notice in _that _way. It was enough to work with him and the rest of the team.

Being on the team made up for the general shittyness of the rest of her life. On the team she was strong. Powerful. She excelled and was proud when Gai, Lee or Neji praised her efforts.

At home, she was weak and despicable, creeping around, staying away as much as possible, hoping no one noticed her. Being noticed at home was dangerous. More dangerous than any mission.

She looked up at the vibrations of the bed-mechanism lowering Neji's head.

He looked tired.

"I'm sorry," she said, stricken. She was selfish, keeping him up. "I should go. You need to get some sleep." She pulled her knees up and swung around, scooting to the edge of the bed.

"No," his gruff voice stopped her. "Don't go yet."

She stopped and let her feet dangle down. She glanced over at him. She couldn't see much of his face. Was he frowning?

"You didn't say anything," he said.

"Hunh?" she wrinkled her brow, confused.

"About the music. You didn't say anything about the music."

Did he sound a little worried? Like he was unsure of himself? This was Hyuuga Neji, Byakagan bloodline prodigy. He was never unsure of anything.

"You didn't say if you liked it."

"Liked it!" Tenten said, "you're kidding, right? I loved it. I can't believe you wrote that by yourself. Well, I can believe it, because I know you're really smart and talented and everything, but I still can't believe it."

What the hell? Quit your babbling, Little 'This and That'.

"Uh, I mean," she continued, groaning inwardly. Babbling was hard to stop once it got going. "I can't believe I know someone who can write music like that, and play all those instruments. Why didn't you let us know? I never heard you playing any instrument before."

Neji sighed, interrupting the flow of words. She would have been grateful to him, if she wasn't so mortified.

"Sorry," she said, lamely. Crap, she was such a jerk. She stared at the floor.

The linoleum on the floor was that usual institutional gray with flecks of darker gray, yellow and red. Really ugly. She started counting the red flecks in the square under her feet. Counting was better than talking. Because if she started to talk, she'd tell him what she _really _thought, which would be a total disaster –

"You wrote me into your music," she whispered. She could feel Neji's body tense on the bed behind her. "You made me – beautiful."

Neji was silent, not agreeing, not disagreeing.

His silence choked her.

She jumped up from the bed and turned on him, glaring down at his surprised face.

He stared back with wide pale eyes, his mouth open as if to finally say something.

"Why did you do that? Why did you make me beautiful? I'm nothing. I'm no one. Little 'This-and-That'. I can't be beautiful. I can't! I can't."

"Tenten, I-," he reached for her but she moved away.

She put her hands over her mouth, stopping more frightened words from tumbling out.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through her fingers. "I'm sorry," she backed away.

She fled the room as if the Kyuubi no Youko was after her.

_**000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: See what I mean? I really had no idea Tenten was going to lash out like that. Poor Neji, he just wanted a little positive feedback. Speaking of feedback, please give me yours? 8]**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: No claim on Naruto.**_

_**000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 9**

**The Demon of Konoha**

_**000000000000000000000000000**_

Hiashi lifted the cup to his lips and drank.

This was the last one. The absolute last.

He rarely indulged in alcohol.

No, that wasn't true. He enjoyed fine wines with his meals. He had a wine cellar stocked on the advice of a well-known sommelier. The same sommelier who regularly consulted with his chef to create the perfect wine/food combinations for dinner parties.

He rarely indulged in _this _much alcohol.

He was slipping rapidly past pleasantly befuddled into downright drunkenness.

He frowned.

This would not do.

He looked over the rim of the cup at the woman sitting opposite him.

She was one hell of a woman. His Byakagun bloodline activated easily and he traced the amazing Chakra levels that flowed through her body with his gaze.

"Beautiful," he whispered.

He deactivated hastily at her low chuckle.

This _really _wouldn't do.

"You have surprised me," Tsunade said, leaning forward and staring at him intently. Her eyes glowed in the soft lights that filtered in through the massive office window.

"Have I?" he said, hoping he sounded cool and collected but pretty sure he sounded flustered, "how so?"

She lifted a shapely blonde eyebrow and smiled at him.

"You didn't need to take my words so literally," she sat back in her chair, tilting her head to one side, as if to study him from a different angle. "Turning that room into a young person's paradise was really not what I expected." She took a sip from her cup. "I had no idea you cared so much about your nephew."

He wasn't sure how to respond to this. How could he explain the gradual change in his relationship with Neji following the Chuunin exam? Or his deep desire to somehow rectify the wrongs done against his brother? Done against all the Branch family?

"I didn't either," he said, haltingly, staring into his cup. He frowned, looking over at her angrily. This show of vulnerability was dangerous. She was turned away from him, looking out over the sleeping village. The quiet streets, damp from the fine rain, glistened in the moonlight.

"I thought," said Tsunade, softly, "when Dan died, that I never wanted feel again."

Hiashi set his cup down on the table. He had known the kunoichi's boyfriend, Dan, although not well. He was only chuunin when Dan had reached jounin status. But everyone knew him. He was a vibrant person, eager and friendly, with an earnest love for his village that spoke in all his actions. He had been mourned by many at his death.

The two sat in comfortable, melancholy silence in the darkened office.

Tsunade sighed and turned partway back to glance over at the Hyuuga clan leader.

"I have been told I need to make more of an effort to 'behave with decorum'," she said.

Hiashi lifted his eyebrows slightly in surprise. Who was brave enough to tell the hot-tempered Fifth Hokage that? Was he still living? Sensing that they were coming to the reason for her invitation to share some sake, he waited.

"I would like you to accompany me to public functions," she said, frowning. She glared at him, daring him to challenge her.

Hiashi's eyebrows lifted a fraction higher.

Was she asking him out on a _date_?

The implications of escorting the powerful woman raced through his mind. How would this effect his clan's standing? What would be the Council of Elders reaction to a – liason – with the Godaime? What would the family think? Hell, what did he think?

"Why me?" he said, "There are members of the Council who would be suitable."

"True," she said, her head cocked to one side, "but they're stuffy. Boring."

Hiashi blinked. "_I'm_ stuffy and boring," he said.

She smiled a tight little smile. Hiashi shifted a little in his chair, then forced himself to stay still as her smile grew wider.

"Very true," she said, blandly, "you would never be accused of behavior lacking decorum."

He had to agree with that.

"Besides," she said, "you're taller than me. There's few on the council who can claim that!"

He had to agree with that, too.

Most of the men on the council were rather short, and she was quite tall. But he was taller. He stifled a twinge of vanity.

"I would not be able to attend any functions that might be in conflict with Hyuuga clan interests," he said, confidently. This was where he excelled. Negotiating terms for a contract.

"Understood," she said, "and I would expect you to represent the interests of Konoha in all things."

"Of course," he said, nodding.

She poured more sake into her cup, then held the carafe out, invitingly tipped to pour him a tot.

He rose gracefully from the chair, picked up his cup and walked over to the powerful kunoichi. He held his cup out and she obligingly filled it.

"Done," he said, lifting the cup.

"Done," she agreed, lifting hers.

"I'm older than you," she said, suddenly, then looked away out the window, "will you mind that?"

Hiashi recognized the point that most negotiations reached, when the deal could go either way depending on what one party said to the other. The point where emotions like pride and fear mattered more than profit. He looked down at the woman, beautiful in the reflected moonlight.

"Will you?" he said, quietly.

She looked back at him with a frown, studying his face intently.

She shook her head and stood up.

"What the hell," she said, tossing back the sake, "let's go for it."

"Agreed," he said and drained his cup.

They stood by the window smiling at each other.

_**000000000000000000000000000**_

What the hell just happened?

One minute everything was going great. He was finally alone with her. She seemed to like his music. She _seemed _to get how he felt about her.

Next minute she was standing over him with her big chocolate eyes shiny with unshed tears yelling something about her name.

And what did she mean about being nothing?

How could she think that?

She was his inspiration, the reason he started writing music seriously.

_I thought she liked me._

Ever since the Academy days he'd _known_ that she liked him. She'd followed him around with a dogged persistence that had annoyed him, at first. It didn't matter where he went, or that he was older than she. Wherever he was, he knew she'd be somewhere nearby. He didn't need to look up to see her sitting on the edge of his space. She wasn't like some of the other fangirls that hung around the school yard, waiting for him or Sasuke. She didn't rush up and pester him with questions, or make admiring comments, or try to play with his hair. She was just always there. He'd ignored her completely. It seemed easier that way.

When the team placements were announced, he was mildly surprised that it didn't bother him that she was on his. Of course, he was already pretty annoyed that he was going to be on the same team as that buffoon, Mighto Gai and his green side-kick, Rock Lee. It hardly seemed an issue that his own personal stalker was on the team, too.

He couldn't say when his feelings started to change.

Maybe when he realized that she never backed down, never refused a challenge, worked as hard as he or Lee did.

He knew exactly when he realized that she meant more to him than just a member of his team.

Coming back to train with Gai and Tenten after he was medically cleared from the Chuunin exams was one of the hardest things he made himself do.

It wasn't that he had lost, and to Naruto, of all people. He'd despised Naruto and it was painful to be surpassed by the boy who was always known as a failure. But the fight with Naruto had been a good one. Naruto's words to him about ignoring fate had made a deep impact on him, had really changed his life, and he was deeply grateful. Naruto had given him hope in himself, in his ability to rise above the curse seal, and he would never regret the loss of the battle. He had gained so much more.

No, what was difficult was facing Gai and Tenten after almost killing his cousin. He was deeply ashamed that he had allowed all his grief and rage out, channeling his pain into a killing blow aimed at Hinata. It was only through the intervention of several jounin, Gai one of them, that he was stopped.

Approaching the training field where Gai was working with Tenten, perfecting her Twin Rising Dragons, was like approaching an execution squad. His mind raced through all the things they would say to him, how they would despise him for his lack of honor, tell him to quit the team, hate him.

He stood at the edge of the grounds and waited for them to notice him, clenching his fists with anxiety.

He watched as Tenten rose up from the field like a shooting star, wrapped in the cascading ribbons of her scrolls, while Gai evaded her multiple weapons attacks, shouting instructions and encouragement. The mottled sunlight glowed around her, shining on her chestnut hair. Her creamy white arms cut through the air, shooting more kunai and shuriken at the sensei with deadly force.

Neji thought he had never seen anything, or anyone, more beautiful.

When they saw him, they stopped working. Tenten landed gracefully on the rough grass with a soft ringing from her weapons. Gai stood up straight, legs braced. They stared at him for a full minute.

"Well," said Tenten, "are you ready to work, or not?"

She and Gai grinned at him, as he slowly walked forward, humbled.

He went home that night and began composing the piece she heard today.

It was the only way he could think to tell her what she meant to him. Words were useless to him. He was a tongue-tied as Hinata when it came to expressing his feelings.

And now, she was gone.

Not only gone, but mad about – something – what?

Because he had made her part beautiful?

Of course he made her part beautiful. She _was_ beautiful. Beautiful and graceful and deadly as the weapons she used.

And how could she ever think that she was nothing or nobody?

To him, she wasn't Little 'This and That'.

To him, she was Little 'Heaven'.

_**0000000000000000000000000000000**_

Oh, Kami, she was stupid. An idiot, a dolt.

Why didn't she just tell him she thought the music was great? Thank him for making her part so lovely that it made her want to cry. Again.

Why did she say all that? All that crap about being nothing and nobody.

She had vowed never to let her other life, the other mean, non-ninja life, into her real life as a shinobi. And now she had, and Neji would know all about what a sham she was.

Beautiful? Couldn't he see the filth that covered her, every day?

Couldn't he see that she was the same unwanted toddler rescued from a street of corpses?

She ran through the damp nighttime streets until she reached the alley way that led to her foster home, shivering a little in the light rain. She'd left her jacket at the hospital, but wasn't about to go back and get it.

Now was the time to be alert. Not for signs of Chakra or for exploding tags or dangerous jutsu.

Now was the time to be alert for the real demon of Konoha.

Her foster father.

She hid her scrolls and weapons in a place she had made when she first started at the Academy, sealing the hiding spot from view with some concealing hand signs. She hopped lightly up onto the overhanging roofs and skirted the dark alleyway silently. She stopped at the end of the alley and observed the house she lived in across the way.

The flickering bluish light told her nothing. The TV was on at all times, whether there was anyone there to watch it or not. She listened carefully for sounds, eliminating a dog bark in the distance, the constant berating talk on the TV, the fall of the rain.

She shuddered, fighting rising nausea.

She couldn't hear him, but that didn't mean anything. He knew how to stay quiet.

She circled to the back of the house. He had nailed shut all the windows so that the front and back doors were the only two ways to get into the house. He'd said he didn't want any intruders, but she knew it was so that she couldn't get in and out using her chakra.

She slipped through the broken back door. He had kicked it in a couple of months ago after she was placed in the home, and refused to get it fixed. He claimed that the broken door was her fault, because she hadn't been fast enough to open it for him. The bruises on her face and body had been hard to explain away the next day, but the team seemed to accept her story that she had lost her grip practicing with the kunai.

She stopped just inside the kitchen, slowing her breath down to the merest whisper. She waited a good two minutes before moving silently into the front hallway to the stairs leading to her room.

The opening to the living room yawned cavernously, the blue light of the TV flickering inside. This was where he slept day and night, where he could watch out for trouble, he said.

His wife slept upstairs. He would allow her to creep down in the morning to stay in the kitchen and laundry room making his meals and washing his clothes. At night he would watch her creep back up the stairs to hide.

"There you are."

Tenten stopped with her foot on the step. She could feel him coming towards her.

"I heard about your little friend," his voice was smooth and lovely, like dark cream. "You were at the hospital a long time."

He was standing directly behind her. His hot breath stirred the tendrils of hair on the nape of her neck.

"Yes," she said, as lightly as she could. "I need to get back. Lady Tsunade has asked us to stay with the Hyuuga 24/7. I just came back to change my clothes."

"Lady Tsunade," he sneered. "_That _cunt." The filthy word was shocking and she had to force herself not to react.

He grabbed her elbow and turned her around, slamming her into the wall of the stairwell. He squeezed her face using it to lift her up, then secured her to the wall with his left forearm slanted across her throat. He punched her with short jabs in her ribs and breast and belly.

She was losing consciousness, the pain in her body secondary to the lack of oxygen to her lungs. She stayed perfectly still, knowing that the struggle was what he wanted. It was the first lesson she learned in this house. She was a quick learner.

He held her for another minute, her feet dangling, staring at her from hot beautiful eyes.

Her vision started to fade.

_This is it. He's really going to kill me this time._

It was almost a relief.

"Disgusting," he spat, releasing her and pushing her onto the stairs. He kicked her hard in the hip, "you are disgusting. Get out of here."

She scrambled up the stairs on all fours, putting as much distance as she could between them. She stumbled into her bedroom. There was no need to unlock or even open the door. He had taken off the doors the day after she was placed in the home. All the doors; bathroom, bedroom, closet and attic. He said that there was no need for secrets. He slept in a room without doors and so should everyone else in the house.

She opened the drawer of her dresser with shaking hands and pulled out some panties, stuffing them into her pocket, then walked quickly into the bathroom to grab a toothbrush. She didn't need them. She had some spare items hidden away with her weapons. But he would know if she didn't take something. He went through her drawers regularly, cutting up anything he thought was 'dirty' or 'inappropriate'. It didn't matter what it was. He just liked to cut up things. He could make up any excuse he wanted.

She headed swiftly for the stairs, pausing for a moment at the doorway to her foster mother's room. She could hear the hitch of breath from inside.

"Tenten," her foster mother's voice was so quiet, she wasn't sure she really heard it. She waited for a precious moment to hear more but there was nothing. She hurried past the room and crept down the stairs.

He was standing at the bottom, waiting for her. She paused a few steps above him, out of reach.

"You know, Tenten," he said, sadly, his handsome face smiling ruefully. "This just doesn't seem to be working out for us, does it?" He stepped back from the stairway and made a gracious gesture towards the front door.

She walked past him as normally as she could, waiting for him to stop her.

She got all the way to the door with her hand on the knob, when he trapped her, pressing her face into the glass panel. He leaned against her, with his hand over hers, squeezing it painfully against the brass.

"I may have to get us another girl," He whispered into her ear, "after I finish with you."

"Lady Tsunade," she choked out, as if the name was a talisman against the evil behind her, "Lady Tsunade is waiting for me."

She held her breath as he gave one more vicious squeeze of her hand. She kept holding it even after he stepped back and she opened the door and slipped out into the rainy night.

It wasn't until she was at the other end of the alley before she let herself breath again.

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**_A/N: Yes, it is getting dark - and will get darker still. Sorry, just the kind of story I had in my head and needed to get down._**

**_Please tell me what you thing. 8}_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 10**

**Darkest Before the Dawn**

Neji's headache was back full-force.

He'd hoped not to need medication, but, after struggling with the pain for an hour, he gave up and pressed the call button.

Kenji came and went with friendly efficiency, setting some water next to the bed and flipping off the lights.

The room was quiet and dark. He could hear the shush of the rain falling outside the window. In his head, he could hear music, sad and sweet, reflecting the night.

When the door opened and she slipped in, the constant ache under his breastbone eased. He hadn't noticed it until it was gone.

He could hear her shivering by the door.

He waited for a minute, but she didn't move.

"You're cold," he said.

"It's r-raining," she said. Her teeth chattered uncontrollable.

"There's some pajamas in the bathroom. Go take a shower and warm up."

She hesitated, shaking with cold, then moved quietly to the bathroom.

He could see her silhouetted in the cold bathroom light, clinging to the door jamb. She stepped in and shut the door.

He raised the head of the bed, turned on the light, and waited for her, listening to the water run, hearing her weep.

He wanted to help her.

He stayed where he was.

_**0000000000000000000000000000000**_

Tenten leaned against the shower wall and let the hot water run over her. She covered her mouth with her hands, stifling the sobs. She knew he could probably hear her, but she couldn't seem to stop.

She stayed until the water started to run cold, then stepped out onto the bathmat. There was a large towel hanging opposite the shower and she used it to rub her hair dry, then pat her body gingerly.

An inspection in the mirror showed her several bruises on her face and neck and chest and one really ugly one on her hip. The worst damage was to her right hand. She didn't think there were any broken bones, but it hurt liked hell. She looked for some bandages to wrap it in, but there weren't any.

_And they call this a hospital._

The bathroom was cold and functional, a wide white counter, white tiles, white towels. It would have been intimidating under other circumstances. Right now she was too tired to care.

She put on a pair of cream silk pajamas, selecting them from a stack on the counter. She rolled the sleeves up enough to keep her hands free.

She found a wide tooth comb and a hair dryer. One great thing about being around Neji: there were always an excellent selection of hair products and accessories. The guy had prettier hair than most girls she knew, including herself. She smiled wryly and dried her hair, until it hung, dark and slightly wavy, past her waist. She braided it loosely, tying it with one of Neji's hair ties.

She used some of Neji's dental floss and toothpaste and rinsed her mouth out with some minty rinse she found by the sink.

She hung her clothes up to dry on the towel rack.

She looked around to see if there was anything else she could do to delay going out to face him.

There wasn't.

Maybe he'd be asleep. She'd certainly taken long enough that he _could _be. She opened the door and looked over at the bed, hoping to see him fast asleep.

He wasn't.

He was sitting up propped up on the pillows looking at her.

He moved over to one side of the bed and lifted the blanket for her.

She flipped off the bathroom light, hesitating in the doorway, then padded quickly across the floor and slipped into the bed, turning on her side away from him, hissing quietly as her bruised hip pressed against the mattress. She could feel him settle the blanket over her shoulders, then reach up to turn off the light. He used the control to lower the bed a little, then slid down and lay still.

"Did you find everything?" he said to the ceiling.

"Yep, yes," she whispered, her voice a little rough from crying, "I like your pajamas."

She could hear him smile, a little huff of air from his nostrils.

His body was warm against her back, solid and comforting.

_**0000000000000000000000000000000**_

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" He could feel her instantly tense up.

"No, nope," she said, quickly, "nothing. Nothing happened."

"You ran out of here like you thought I was going to hurt you or something. Now, you come back soaked to the skin. Nothing happened?"

She drew in a breath as if in pain, then exploded, pushing the blanket away and swinging her legs out of the bed.

He grabbed her tight, pulling her close to his chest with both arms.

He was shocked at her struggle. He could feel her panicked heartbeat echoing in his chest. She scratched his arms and kicked backwards. He threw a leg over hers, trapping them.

"Tenten, stop," he said, as calmly as he could, "Tenten, it's Neji. I'm not hurting you. Stop, now, shush, stop, stop." He kept up a crooning litany, soothing her as best he could, all the time horrified at the fear that came off her in waves.

"No! no no no no no no," she cried, guttural as an animal, almost beyond speech.

He knew that, if she had been more aware, she would have been able to break free. He had always seen her as a powerful konoichi who could hold her own in a fight. What had happened to turn her into this mindless, frightened creature, struggling in his arms like a wild animal in a cage?

He waited her out patiently, never stopping talking to her quietly, until she stilled, panting. He eased his grip, and gently removed his leg, expecting her to break free, but she didn't.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair, "I'm sorry. Don't tell me if you don't want to. I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry."

He was unprepared for her to turn to him, pulling back a little against his arms. He was unprepared for the tragedy of her face, for the pools of sorrow in her dark eyes. He let the arm under her relax, holding her in a loose embrace. He brought up his hand to her cheek, brushing the long dark strands of hair away from her mouth and throat, moving smoothly. He didn't want to frighten her again.

There was a dark shadow on her throat and across one collarbone, disappearing into the gaping collar of the pajama top. He frowned. Was that a bruise? He traced it with his fingers until she stopped his hand, sucking in a sudden breath when she held it away.

He reached up and turned on the overhead light, growling.

They both winced in the sudden light.

She lay passive, her face turned away as if unable to meet his gaze.

The pajama top had pulled up a little and he could see other bruises on her stomach and hips. He remembered her odd breath when she stopped his hand and picked up hers, holding it gently. Her fingers were swollen and mottled with purple black marks.

He knew their struggle would not have caused any of those injuries.

"Who?" he growled, his eyes narrowing.

She remained still, not answering, and he felt a flash of anger that she wouldn't speak, then shame when he saw the tears slipping silently down her bruised cheeks.

Who had turned his strong, capable teammate into this terrified child?

He wanted to shake her, make her tell him, so that he could go out and hurt the person who had done this. He glared down at her, feeling her pull away, without moving a muscle.

She had been abused enough.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, again, "I promised I wouldn't ask, and I did." He kissed her hand gently, covering the bruises with his lips. He laid her hand down on her bosom, "I'm sorry, sorry,"

She looked at him, her face serious and still, her eyes as deep as night, spilling over with pain.

"Neji," she whispered. "I can't tell you. Please, don't make me." Her voice caught in a sob.

"I won't, I promise," he said.

He wanted to help her, protect her, punish whoever had done this to her.

He wanted to save her.

He could only brush her lips with his.

He felt her tension return. He turned off the light and lay back on the bed, with one arm loosely around her.

"Go to sleep," he said, quietly, kissing her hair.

He forced himself to relax, breathing slowly and easily, sending out healing chakra to bathe her lightly.

He felt her ease a little.

She sighed and turned away from him, snuggled her back into his chest, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.

She fell asleep before he did.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: So far, this has been the most difficult scene to write. Tell me what you think, please?**_

_**I know begging isn't very appealing, but, please? 8]**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 11**

**Team Formation**

Neji wasn't surprised to find Tenten gone in the morning.

There was no trace of her having been there, except for the folded pajamas in a chair and a strand of chestnut hair on the pillow.

He picked up the hair, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. He wrapped the long strand around his finger into a loop, then tied it off with the tail end and tucked it into the 'Team Gai' jewel case.

He got up and went to the bathroom. He was damned if he was going to let Kenji take care of him one more day.

When he was finished with his shower, it took all of his strength to put on a fresh pair of pajamas and crawl back into bed. Once there, he lay with his eyes closed, thinking.

He was pretty sure she wouldn't tell him what was going on today anymore than she had last night. He'd have to find out some other way.

He wasn't ready to go out on his own, that was clear. He could barely manage to pee without falling down. He'd need to come up with a plan that would allow him to recover his strength and still help her. Which meant asking someone to help him.

The best person he could think of to come up with a real plan was Shikamaru. The guy hated to put himself out over anything and was the laziest person in the Hidden Leaf, but he had an unparalleled ability to map out a strategic plan that was flawless. Once Neji explained the situation, he was pretty sure the shadow-nin would be willing to help out. The problem was how to get word to Shikamaru.

He was discarding his third idea to contact Shikamaru when the door banged open. Haruna Sakura marched into the room purposefully.

"Morning, Neji!" said Sakura, bristling with professional zeal. She barely waited for Neji to respond with a polite, 'morning' before she began writing on her pad of paper.

"You seem to be doing much better," she said, frowning at the blinking monitor at the head of the bed. "Your chakra levels are at 89%. Tsunade-sensai will be pleased!"

"So I can go home soon?" growled Neji. The need to find out what was wrong with Tenten ate at him.

The pink-haired med-nin smiled distractedly, while allowing her hands to roam over his chest. "Hmm…much better…What? Go home? No, not yet."

Neji stifled a groan.

"Not until your chakra levels get to at least 92%," she said, sternly. "Have you been out of bed yet?"

"Yes," said Neji, hoping this would play in his favor, "I got cleaned up. See? I'm fine."

She glared at him, shrewdly. "'Bout knocked you out again, didn't it? No, don't lie." She smiled at him and said, kindly, "I know it sucks to be stuck here, but whatever bug you got, really laid you low. You need to recover. I _know_ you don't want a relapse, right?"

"Right," said Neji, glumly.

"You know," said Sakura, "It's a funny thing about that bug. No one else seems to have come down with it, which is a good thing. It's just odd that this virus only seems to have affected you." She stared off into the distance, as if struck by something, then remembered her patient. "Anyway, I think you should be able to go home in the next day or two, okay?" She nodded emphatically and hurried towards the door.

"Wait!" said Neji, "Sakura-chan, can I ask you something?"

Sakura stopped at the door with her hand on the push-plate.

"I don't know, Neji," she said, barely hiding her impatience, "I've got a full case-load now and -."

"It's not a big favor," he said, inwardly cringing. He hated to ask for anything, but this was for Tenten and he couldn't let pride get in the way of her welfare.

"What is it?" asked Sakura.

"Could you find Shikamaru for me? I need to see him," said Neji.

"Shikamaru?" said Sakure, pausing to think, "yeah, I'll tell him. I think he's over at the Hokage tower this morning. I was heading there anyway. Need to play a game of shogi?"

"Yes," said Neji, "shogi. Or something like that."

Sakura frowned a little, then nodded.

"Right," she said, briskly, "I'll tell him when I see him. See you later, Neji-san."

Neji lay back and thought about what to tell Shikamaru.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

Sakura hurried down the hall towards the Fifth Hokage's office.

Something was bothering her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Something about what she'd said to Neji about being the only one affected by the chakra-eating virus. Something she thought she saw in the medical chart.

She was so focused on getting to the office, that she almost bowled Shikamaru down as he was leaving it.

He pivoted out of her way gracefully.

"Whoa, there," he grumbled, "watch where you're going."

"Oh, Shikamaru-kun," said Sakura, distractedly, "sorry! I've just got this thought I need to …" Her words trailed off as she headed into the office.

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000**_

"Tch," said Shikamaru, looking bored. "What a waste. What's she in such a blasted hurry for?"

He put his hands in his pockets and strolled away.

"Stop!" shouted Sakura, sticking her head out of the doorway.

Shikamaru pulled up his shoulders and kept on walking.

He'd learned from years avoiding his mother's nagging that it was often better to pretend he didn't hear when someone called for him. When people wanted him it was generally to make him do something he really didn't want to do.

"Shikamaru!" shouted Sakura again, "you'd better stop! Or I'll _make_ you stop!"

Shikamaru weighed his options, slowing down only slightly. If he stopped, she'd probably want him to do something, which was a drag. If he didn't stop, she'd probably come after him and do what she said – make him stop – and that would be a drag, too.

Sakura was no longer the weak little girl she'd been before the Chuunin exams. Ever since she started working with Lady Tsunade, she'd developed some serious strengths.

The shadow-ninja had no doubt she'd make him stop. Painfully.

Pain would be a drag.

He stopped and turned around, just barely managing not to jump backwards.

How'd she get down the hall so fast?

Sakura was standing right in front of him with her fist under his nose.

"What?" he drawled, shrugging his shoulders.

Sakura gritted her teeth, pulling her fist back.

Shikamaru inched away slightly, maintaining his innocent, bored expression.

"Neji-san wants to see you," she said, menacingly.

"Neji?" said Shikamaru, stupidly, "Hyuuga Neji? Wants to see me? Why?"

"How should I know!" shouted the irascible kunoichi, waving her fist under his nose again, "just go see him."

"What does he want?" said Shikamaru, frowning slightly. Except for the occasional shogi game, he and Neji were hardly friends. He looked down somewhat cross-eyed at the irate shinobi before him.

She was really going to pop him one.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, turning and starting back down the hall towards the hospital, "I'm going, I'm going. Tch!"

He heard her huff of disdain as she stomped back to the office.

What was _she_ all worked up for? _He _was the one who had to go see Neji.

Which was definitely a drag.

_**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

There was a loud knock at the door. Neji was startled. In the past three days, no one had bothered to knock. Everyone had just barged in without observing the niceties.

The door opened and his next visitor poked a head in.

"Neji-san, my stalwart former student," said Mighto Gai, in what he probably thought was a whisper, "Are you able to welcome visitors?"

The door pushed all the way open before Neji could formulate a reply.

"Ah, I see you are awake!" The Green Beast of Konoha walked confidently in the room and gave Neji an ebullient thumbs up and a big grin. "Neji-san, it is good to see you looking much more yourself," said Gai, heartily, coming up to the bedside and punching Neji encouragingly in the shoulder.

Neji gritted his teeth at the blow. It was better not to react too much to Gai.

"Thank you, Gai-san," he said, repressively. His heart skipped a beat when he realized that Tenten and Lee had also come into the room. "Tenten-," she turned away, and sat down on one of the armchairs, pulling out a scroll. Disappointed, Neji turned to his other visitors.

"Neji-san, I hope you will not think it's presumptuous," said Lee, earnestly, "but I could not help tell Gai-sensai about the beautiful music you wrote celebrating our team's youthful energy and prowess."

"Yes, Neji," boomed Gai, "Lee has been full of praises for the beauty of your music and I came hoping to hear this masterful work myself."

"You want to hear 'Team Gai'," said Neji, frowning. He glanced over at Tenten. If he played the CD, would she bolt again? "I don't know," he said, "I really hadn't intended -,"

"Please, Neji," said Lee, "Please allow Gai-sensai to hear the flowering chords and energetic rhythms of your wonderful music. He will be inspired as I have. Hearing your music will spur us on to greater feats of training -."

Neji thought he heard a snort and peered at Tenten suspiciously. Was she laughing? Her face was turned away, so he wasn't sure. Still, if she was laughing, maybe she wouldn't mind if he played the piece.

"I guess," said Neji, grudgingly. It wouldn't do to appear too eager. Gai was known to pounce on eagerness ruthlessly, and he didn't feel up to any of Gai's enthusiastic training methods quite yet. "The CDs are in there," he pointed to the bedside table drawer.

"Allow me, Gai-sensai," crowed Lee, pulling the drawer open so hard that the table squealed across the floor at a crazy angle and the CD player almost fell off. "My apologies, Neji-san. Sometimes I don't know my own strength!" Lee pulled out a stack of CDs and straightened up the table.

Neji heard another snort, and lay back on the pillow with an inward smile. He'd let Gai listen to all his CDs twice if it meant she'd stay here and be amused. "Here," he said, holding out his hand for the jewel cases. "I'll find it for you." He selected 'Team Gai' and opened the case, careful not to lose the ring of hair inside. He slipped the ring over his little finger and handed the CD to Lee.

Lee pushed the CD into the player and pressed play.

"Gai-sensai," Lee said, with hushed reverence, "prepare yourself for ecstasy!"

The horns started the first melodic theme and the two green taijutsu experts closed their eyes. Neji was touched at this gesture of appreciation. He was nervous to know what Gai's reaction would be, since his theme was a little bit overblown.

He didn't need to worry. The tears streaming down Gai's cheeks spoke for themselves.

When the music stopped, Neji wasn't totally surprised when Gai flung himself onto him.

No, not surprised.

Not exactly happy about the passionate embrace either, but not totally surprised.

_**000000000000000000000000000000**_

"Whoa!" said Kiba, grinning broadly, baring his fangs. "Am I interrupting anything? Nudge, nudge? Wink, wink?"

The dog-ninja strolled into the room with Akamaru at his heels. Aburame Shino and Shikamaru followed closely.

"Neji-san," cried Gai, leaping up from the bed.

"Ooof," said Neji, as he was bounced wildly. He gripped the sheets, hoping he wasn't going to fall off the bed.

"Neji-san," cried Gai again, "Your music has filled me with a wealth of burgeoning energy!"

_Burgeoning? _mouthed Kiba to Akamara. The two laughed silently.

"I am inspired to release this energy in training! Come, Lee! Come, Tenten! To the training fields! Let us perform our greatest skills in honor of this music!" He raced out of the room.

"Yes, Gai-sensai!" said Lee, with a salute, "Thank you, Neji-san! Tenten and I will bring your music to life today!"

He grabbed Tenten's elbow and dragged her from the chair and out the door.

Neji could hear protesting all the way down the hall.

"You wanted to see me?" grumbled Shikamaru, lounging against the foot of the bed.

Neji looked over at Shino and Kiba, wondering if he should let them know what was going on.

"Yeah," said Kiba, grinning widely, "what's up? Apart from your _burgeoning_ love affair with Gai and Lee."

Neji shot him a sour look that intensified as Kiba and Akamaru laughed.

Shino didn't say anything but stood silently in the center of the room.

"I figured you needed me for something," said Shikamaru with a yawn, "If it was something I didn't want to do, I figured you could ask Shino or Kiba."

Neji frowned. Should he tell them his suspicions? Would they believe him?

He knew Kiba and Shino from the Academy, but they had never been friends. They had gotten to know each other better on that frightening, failed mission to rescue Uchiia Sasuke. Neji had come to respect both shinobis deeply.

Kiba was too boisterous and loud, in Neji's opinion, but his dog-nin skills were unsurpassed. He could sniff out anything, which made him a great tracker.

Shino was just a little bit creepy, and in the most literal sense. It took a little getting used to, the idea that a hive of kikaichuu bugs were located somewhere in Shino's body. His reconnaissance skills were unbeatable, though, and he could use his bugs to get into places nothing else could.

They were both Hinata's team-mates and she trusted them implicitly.

He decided to trust them, too.

"I need your help," he began, unconsciously rubbing the silky brown strand of hair on his little finger.

_**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: Okay, this one was the hardest to write. Why'd I start this in the first place? I can't sleep, I can't work…it's really messing me up, man! **_

_**Please review. It really helps! 8]**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**I realized, after a comment in a review, that I may have implied more than I intended regarding Gai's feelings for Neji: burgeoning enegry getting released and all that. While it may be true that Gai's excess of feelings may suggest something more than manly enthusiasm, that was not what **_**I **_**was getting at. You will have to ask him yourself what he meant.**_

_**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Broken Hearted: Chapter 12**

**Best Laid Plans**

Hyuuga Hiashi stifled a twinge of uncharacteristic nervousness as he walked sedately towards the Fifth Hokage's apartment in the early evening twilight.

There was nothing to be nervous about. Really. Nothing.

He smoothed his hand down the carefully arranged folds of his robes for the tenth time in as many minutes. As they were the other nine times, the heavy grey silks of the hataka were arranged meticulously over the black kimono decorated on the shoulders with the grey and white Hyuuba family crest. He allowed himself a small feeling of pride that he was still in good physical condition. Almost daily training with Neji, Hinata, and now Hanabi, had kept his muscles toned, for which he was thankful. His hair had been recently trimmed and hung smooth and glossy down his back and his clean-shaven face was without blemish.

He knew he looked well.

And yet, he still felt that twinge of nervousness.

He mentally reassured himself. No need for nerves. He was merely escorting a colleague to a banquet.

A very lovely colleague who happened to be the Fifth Hokage.

It was not as if he had never been on a date before.

His measured step faltered a little.

On second thought, he never _had_ been on a date before.

His marriage had been arranged and the first time he had been alone with his wife, Hikari, had been on their wedding night. It had been a humiliating and painful experience for both of them. The two had been hopelessly ignorant of what to do. His pride had made it impossible for him to ask for advice before that uncomfortable night. He often felt that his marriage would have been much happier if they known what was in store for them. Hikari had been a good wife, submissive and sweet, but he knew he had never made her happy. And he had never been happy, either.

He had been a faithful husband, and had not sought female companionship for a year after her death. Since then, his arrangements with a series of mistresses had been managed in a very business-like way. He provided each one with an elegant apartment during the liason, and each a very substantial parting gift when the arrangement ended. All very civilized.

Which made _this_ his first real date.

He stopped on the pavement suddenly, a few steps from the entrance to her apartment building. What was he doing? How had he let that woman talk him into this?

He barely noticed the angry glance of the old woman passing him.

He certainly didn't hear her grumble, 'Stupid fool, stopping right in front of a body like that!'

Perhaps he should head back home and claim that he was feeling a touch of whatever virus Neji had come down with.

He actually started to turn back when he remembered that the Fifth Hokage, his date, was also a talented medical-ninja who would probably investigate his supposed illness. His skin crawled, thinking of her reaction.

He shook his head slightly, straitening his shoulders and taking a deep breath.

He could do this.

He could.

He was a competent businessman and an accomplished jounin-class shinobi.

There was nothing to be nervous about. Really. Nothing.

He walked into the lobby of the apartment building up the stairs to her apartment.

He nodded curtly to the two ANBU ops nins flanking her doorway.

The door flew open just as he was about to knock.

"Having second thoughts?" Tsunade stood in the doorway, her lovely golden eyes narrowed angrily.

Any greeting he might have given flew out of his head instantly.

She looked drop-dead gorgeous.

Her honey-blond hair was arranged in an elegant style that looked modern and old-fashioned all at once. Beautiful pearl ornaments trembled in her hair, glowing in the light spilling out of the apartment. Her teal tea length dress was embroidered with silver and gold leaves and was cut low across the bodice, setting off the creamy swell of her magnificent bosom. More pearls circled her throat and decorated the lobes of her ears. Her shapely legs went on forever, ending in a very pretty pair of teal silk stilettos.

She looked delectable. Delicious enough to dry the mouth and whet the appetite.

He cleared his throat.

"Ready to go?" he said, offering her his hand.

"Of course," she said, regally accepting his invitation.

_Now_ he was nervous.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

Shikamaru sat cross-legged on the end of the hospital bed, frowning. His elbows leaned on his knees and he tented his fingers in front of him in his favorite meditation pose.

Neji, Shino and Kiba patiently waited while the tactical genius thought.

After awhile, Shikamaru sat back a little, leaning against the footboard.

Neji looked at him expectantly.

"From what you say," said Shikamaru, "it sounds like someone's been abusing her regularly, probably someone in her foster family."

Neji ground his teeth.

"What I don't get," said Shikamaru, "is why?" He frowned up at Neji. "I mean, Tenten is one of the strongest Chuunin I know. She's a kunoichi, for Kami's sake. Why doesn't she fight back?"

"Yeah," said Kiba, lounging across the sofa, "that's a good question."

Neji felt a bolt of anger shoot through him.

"What?" he said, loudly, "do you think she _wants _to get beaten up? You weren't here and you didn't see her. Someone has done a real psychological number on her."

Shikamaru lifted his hands.

"Hey," he said, shrugging, "I'm not saying that. Since I've been working with Ibiki-san on the Chuunin exams, I've got a healthy respect for what people will do when they have been intimidated enough. I mean, that dude is _scary!_ He makes my mom seem like an easy going, laid-back kinda gal."

The four boys thought back for a moment on the first proctor for the Chuunin exams, the ANBU black ops interrogation master, Morino Ibiki with his scarred face and head. They gave a collective shudder.

"What I'm saying," continued Shikamaru, "is that I agree with you. Someone has done a real psychological number on her. Maybe she doesn't believe that she can fight back."

"Or maybe," said Shino, sitting up in an armchair, "maybe she's afraid of what he will do to her or someone else."

Neji ground his teeth again.

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, "that's what I think. Anybody know anything about her foster family?"

"She was placed there about a year ago," offered Kiba, "Hinata said that Tenten was happy that this would be her last placement before she was old enough to be on her own."

"Her last placement?" said Neji, "How many – placements – did she have?'

"I'm not sure," said Kiba, "I think this was the third. I know Hinata was worried about it."

Neji was shocked. How did he not know this? How was it that he didn't know something so fundamental about his teammate? About the girl he - loved?

The bolt of anger was replaced by a bolt of shame.

"I need to get out of here," he growled, his hands fisting, "I need to find out what's going on."

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, "It'll be easier when you get out of this joint. In the meantime, we'll do some reconnaissance and find out where she lives and who lives with her."

"Civilian," said Shino, cryptically.

"Right," said Shikamaru, "we'll need to be careful. Tsunade-sama would not be happy if we accused a civilian of something without good evidence."

"What more evidence do you need?" said Neji, his voice strangled with anger and fear for Tenten, "aren't the bruises on her face and neck enough?"

"You know they're not," said Shino, quietly, his deep voice calming Neji's frayed nerves, "shinobi get bruises all the time. We need to prove she didn't get hurt from training."

"Right," said Shikamaru with uncharacteristic energy, "Kiba, you see if you can find out where Tenten lives. It's too late to do much, now, but once we find out where she is tonight, the three of us'll be able to keep our eyes on her."

Neji made a noise of protest.

Shikamaru, frowned at him, his mouth twisted in a wry smile.

"We won't let anything happen to her," he said, "Your job is to get well enough to kick the bastard's ass from here to Suna. Right?"

"Right," said Neji, grudgingly.

He watched unhappily as Shikamaru, Shino and Kiba left the room followed by a panting Akamaru.

His job sucked.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

It didn't take long for Kiba and Akamaru to find Tenten's scent and follow it through the streets of Konoha. They traced her all the way an alley in a run-down neighborhood on the edge of the village. Akamaru pointed out a spot on an alley roof-top, outlined with faint chakra traces, where Tenten obviously spent some time.

The mean house across the way seemed to be the best bet, although Kiba didn't think she was in it. He couldn't sense her chakra signature at all.

Akamaru lay down on the roof to keep watch on the house while Kiba went back to find Shikamaru and Shino.

_Neji's gonna flip shit when he sees this place._

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

"Here," said Tsunade, angrily, thrusting a bag of frozen peas into Hiashi's hand, "Put this on your eye."

He obliged, putting his aching head back against the sofa. The peas settled around his left eye, and he sighed in relief.

He felt the sofa dip as she sat next to him.

She grabbed his right hand and dabbed at his knuckles brutally.

"Ta,ta,ta," he said, mildly, and she eased up a little on her ministrations.

He opened his right eye and swiveled it to study her.

Still angry.

He shut his eye.

It was better not to see her furious face, or the falling locks of her hair, or the torn front of her dress.

He didn't think he looked much better. He hoped his laundry would be able to get the enormous stain out of the front of his hataka. They were used to stains like blood. He wasn't sure how well they'd do with wine and tonkatsu sauce.

"You did _not_ need to defend me!" she fumed, "I'm perfectly capable of kicking butt if I have to, as you very well know!"

"I know," he said, meekly. He checked her again.

Nope, still mad.

"What kind of a Hokage would I be if I couldn't stand up to every little worm who insults me, hunh?"

Judging this to be a rhetorical question, Hiashi refrained from answering.

"I'm one of the three Sannin, for Kami's sake! You should have remembered that – "

"If you think," he said quietly, opening his right eye again and staring at her, "if you think I would escort a woman to an event and then stand by while some idiot threw cocktail onions down her dress – well, if you think _that_, you shouldn't have asked me."

She wiggled a little, adjusting the torn edges of her dress, as if feeling another one of the slimy pickled vegetables sliding down her cleavage.

"Can you believe the nerve of that man?" she huffed, "first, he refused to talk to _me_ and spent all his time trying to talk to _you_ about trade agreements –."

"Sorry about that," he murmured.

She patted his knee.

"Oh, it's not your fault," she said, "it's _his_ fault for being such a male chauvinistic asshole! As if you would interfere with trade agreements, anyway."

"I might," he said, apologetically, "if I thought they'd be a disadvantage to the village or to the clan."

"Of _course_ you would!" she said, patting his knee again, "you are a man of honor, and, even though you don't like it, you always treat me as an intelligent being, not as a – a-."

"Woman?" he said, grabbing her hand before she could pat him again and placing it on his thigh. He held it there firmly. "As a man of honor, I must tell you that I am always aware of you as a woman."

"Oh," she said, nonplused.

"An intelligent woman, but a woman, none-the-less," he said.

"Oh," she said, again.

"Still," he continued, smoothing his thumb over the back of her strong, capable, and totally feminine hand, "I would never decide to complete negotiations by diving down the front of your dress."

"No," she said, rather breathlessly, "I can't imagine you doing something like that."

"And," he said, darkly, "I would most definitely _not _invite you up to my room for – what did he call it?"

"Hot burning humpa-humpa?" she offered.

"Exactly," he said.

They both sat quietly, remembering the evening's events.

"You really clipped him good," she said, with satisfaction, "I suppose the council will have a field day with this."

"I'm sorry," he said, ruefully, "I'll do whatever I can to fix it."

She snorted.

"And you were supposed to be a good influence on me," she said, smiling, "So much for 'behaving with decorum.'"

He took the now thawed peas off his eye and threw the bag onto the coffee table.

"Come here," he said, his voice low and gravelly. He tugged at the hand he held, pulling her onto his lap. He put his arms around her and looked down at her wide eyes as her head rested gingerly against his shoulder.

"You are the most amazing, intelligent _woman_ I have ever met," he said. He could feel his heart start to race, "and I thank you most wholeheartedly for inviting me." He traced her lips with a forefinger and was pleased to see them open slightly.

"And I hope I never behave with decorum around you again," he said, bending his head to kiss her.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

Neji made himself get up and walk around the room twice, just to make sure he could do it. He was determined to go home in the morning as soon as Lady Tsunade let him. When he finished his second circuit, he felt a little dizzy and was glad to climb back on the bed, but he was heartened that he didn't feel worse.

He just had to get better.

It chaffed at him, not to know where she was at that moment. He imagined her lying bleeding somewhere and he bit his lip in frustration.

When she hesitantly opened the door and slipped in, he almost shouted with relief.

"Can I, uh," she said, hanging by the door, "can I stay the night again?"

He had to stop himself from leaping out of the bed and dragging her into the room.

"Of course," he said.

He watched her move slowly across the floor into the center of the room. She picked up the pajamas she had left on the armchair, frowning a little.

"I'll just take a shower, okay?" she said, quietly.

"Sure, take your time," he was afraid to say anything else. He didn't want her to run off again.

He waited for her in the dark this time and when she slipped into the bed beside him, he didn't say anything. He moved over and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, hugging her loosely to his chest.

Her hair was damp and silky against his cheek. Her own unique scent mingled with the herbal smell of soap and shampoo intoxicatingly. He pressed his face against the nape of her neck and kissed her there lightly.

"Good-night," he whispered.

"Good-night," she said, after a moment.

He waited until he felt her relax in his arms, her breathing slow and deep.

"I love you," he said.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Sarah Jessica Parker - 44**

**Demi Moore – 47**

**Michelle Pfeiffer – 51**

**Madonna - 51**

_**A/N: What do the above ladies have in common, besides beauty? They are not much younger than or about the same age as Tsunade. Enough said.**_

_**Please let me know what you think about this latest installment. 8]**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 13**

**Trust Me**

The three shinobi huddled with the enormous white ninja dog on the rooftops overhanging the alley across from Tenten's foster house, masking their chakra from any observers.

"Akamaru says that no one has come or gone since the house was put under observation," reported Kiba to the other team members.

"There is some kind of barrier around the entrances," said Shino, "the kikai sense the chakra holding it in place. They have found a way in through a loose shingle, but we will not be able to get in."

"Really?" said Shikamaru, slowly, "If there's a chakra barrier then we're not dealing with an ordinary civilian. Someone in there has some ability, at least at the tokujo level."

"What about Tenten?" said Kiba, a note of worry in his voice, "Akamaru and I can't sense her inside the house, but it's difficult to tell how many others are in there."

"Tenten's with Neji," said Shino, "she's safe for now."

The young men shared a look of relief.

"According to the kikai," continued Shino, "there are two other people in the house. One has high levels of chakra that are being masked to avoid normal detection."

"Hmm," said Shikamaru, with satisfaction, "that's our target. He or she won't know your little bugs can get in anywhere and find chakra, masked or not."

"So," said Kiba, cracking his knuckles, "what do you want to do?"

"We can't just attack," said Shikamaru, "We need to get more intell on this person. If he or she is tokujo, this is probably something we'll be able to bring to the Hokage." He put his fingers together and thought for a few long moments. "Let's get some rest. We'll meet back here in the morning." He stood up and stretched, then jumped off to run across the rooftops of the village.

The others followed silently.

* * *

This time, when Neji woke up, Tenten was still in his arms.

He hugged her sleeping form gently, glad that she was safe.

She shifted in her sleep, snuggling back against him with a sigh.

Neji's body sprang to life with enthusiasm.

He could feel the rise and fall of her rib-cage against his arm. The silk pajama top had slipped down and he was tortured by the beautiful ivory curve of her neck and shoulder. His hand was nestled between her breasts and he had to forcibly stop himself from turning it and exploring. Her firm bottom pressed against his groin.

Sweat beaded on his brow and he bit his lip to stop a groan. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her. If she woke and found him like this, he was afraid of her reaction.

Her hips shifted again.

Damn, but she felt good.

He couldn't help it. He pressed his lips against the smooth skin of her neck and pulled her into him. He trailed kisses softly down her shoulder. His control over his hand slipped and he spread his fingers out over one breast, squeezing the surprising fullness of it.

He groaned again.

This was madness. She was vulnerable and he was taking advantage of her. He rose up on his elbow and gently started to extricate himself before he did something more.

And realized that she was holding onto his hand with a strong grip, not allowing him to go.

Which meant that she was awake.

Which also meant that she was completely aware of the state he was in.

He felt heat flood his face and chest.

He tried to pull back, but she turned partly and looked at him.

He was frozen, looking down at her.

The braided tail of her chestnut hair had unraveled was spread out on the pillow like rich dark silk. The pajama top slipped further down her shoulder and her skin was delicately flushed. Her full pink lips were parted a little, as if she had just taken a breath.

She looked amazing, beautiful, delectable, dangerous.

His eyes traced the outline of her mouth as he bent down and kissed her.

He fully intended to stop there, but he couldn't. Not when she kissed him back.

She let go of his hand and put her own on his back, holding him in place while he deepened the kiss. Her tongue met his shyly, as he explored her mouth hungrily.

He growled, using one arm to pull her all the way around, bringing a leg over hers. He kissed behind her ear, licking the soft skin. His mouth explored her throat and the vee of skin covering her breast bone. He dragged his teeth and tongue along the hollow of her shoulder, nipping her gently.

The damn pajama top was in the way.

It would have to go.

He fumbled at the silk covered buttons, his hands shaking a little in his eagerness to uncover her.

Who in the hell invented buttons anyway? They were seriously stupid useless things.

His skin was on fire, achingly sensitive. He reared up and sat back on his heels. He yanked off his own top and flung it to the floor.

He stared down at her, breathing heavily.

* * *

Tenten's heart stuttered painfully as she stared up at the half-naked man.

She knew Neji was gorgeous. Lord, she'd been stalking him since she was ten. She'd seen him without his shirt plenty of times over the years. And enjoyed each and every one, too.

Just, _this_ time seemed a teensy bit different.

Her eyes took in the broad shoulders and narrow hips and the sculpted, flushed torso between. A narrow ribbon of dark hair started above his navel, pointing downward, leading her eye with it.

She swallowed and licked her lips.

_This_ time he was not carelessly cooling off after a training session, or waiting patiently for a medic to heal him. No, _this _time he seemed to have every intention of pressing that beautiful body against her.

He was so _male,_ so out-and-out masculine and sexy, it made her feel faint.

And he was looking down at _her_ as if he were starving and she was his first meal in weeks.

He thrilled her.

He terrified her.

Terror won.

"Neji," she whispered, pulling her pajama top down and drawing her knees up a little.

He frowned, sitting back on his heels.

Her heart sank.

_I can't._

She turned away, sitting up on the bed and moving to the edge.

"I'm sorry," she said, sadly, pulling the edges of her collar closed.

_I'm afraid._

She closed her eyes, waiting for his reaction, her shoulders hunched, hugging herself.

She looked as if she was waiting for him to hurt her.

She looked like she had so long ago, sitting on the edge of the playing fields of school, her arms wrapped around her knees.

Alone and afraid.

* * *

He steadied himself on the footboard, staring at Tenten.

She was afraid of _him._

Afraid of what he might do to her.

His hands fisted in sudden, absolute rage.

_Whoever made her this way would pay!_

"Tenten," he said, gently, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and sitting next to her.

He was careful not to sit too close to her.

She flinched a little, and pulled herself in.

"Tenten," he said, keeping his voice low and soothing, "I would never hurt you. You know that, don't you?"

He heard her breath hitch. Was she crying?

He pushed her hair back from her face, brushing his fingers lightly along the sweet, damp curve of her cheek.

"I would never hurt you," he said, softly, "I love you."

She pressed her clasped hands against her breast and sobbed.

"You," she gasped, "you don't know. You don't know me."

"Yes, I do," he said, allowing some indignation to creep into his voice, "You are strong and kind and brave."

"No!" she said, "Neji, if you knew...I'm not brave or strong! If I was, I'd kill him! I'd make him stop!"

_The father._

He forced himself to stay calm, stroking one hand down her back along the fall of silky hair, while the other hand clenched out of sight by his thigh.

"But I'm so weak, I'm so weak. I can't stop him," she cried, "I can't stop him. No one can stop him." She turned and stared at him, her eyes huge and tragic, "not even you, Neji-san."

He took her face in both hands, holding her firmly, brushing her tears with his thumbs.

"I will stop him," he said, firmly, "I'll stop him, I promise. Trust me, love, please. Trust me."

He sent chakra to his hands, comforting her, pulling her against his chest and holding her close.

She trembled in his arms.

* * *

Akamaru sat and waited at the sagging gate leading to the front door. He whined a little, deep in his throat.

This was a bad place. A very bad place.

He shifted anxiously watching as Master walk jauntily up the steps of the porch.

He whined again, a little louder.

Master turned around and grinned at him, yipping a little.

_Don't worry._

_Watch my back._

Always, always, Master.

Even in this bad place.

* * *

Kiba looked back at the front door.

Akamaru was right.

This was a very bad place.

The hair raised on the back of his neck and arms and his teeth and claws elongated a little.

What was it exactly? There wasn't much of a smell, which confirmed Shikamaru's suspicion that chakra was being used to mask the place from detection. It was the _lack_ of smell that made him so tense.

Every place smelled.

Every place was a mixture of good and bad smells, the smells of living. Here, there was nothing except a faint bitter tang of fear.

He glanced quickly over his shoulder. He couldn't see Shino or Shikamaru, but he knew they were somewhere behind him, watching.

He shook his head a little, then took the last step to the door and knocked loudly.

He could hear a slight clang deep inside the house. Maybe the sound of a pot falling.

He waited a few moments, but no one came to the door.

He knocked again, more loudly this time, rehearsing in his head the story he would tell.

He couldn't hear anything and was about to knock again when he felt someone's presence on the other side of the wooden panel.

He faltered back a step, suddenly overwhelmed by the wave of fear and pain that washed through him.

There was a woman on the other side.

And she was terrified.

He hesitated for a moment, then knocked again.

The door swung slowly open.

* * *

"Did you see that?" said Shino, his usually deep and calm voice was a little breathy, "he stepped back."

"Keep your eyes open," said Shikamaru, "we may need to get him out of there fast."

Akamaru stood up and stepped closer to the fence, whining anxiously.

* * *

The woman was very thin, haggard even. Her black hair hung around her sunken cheeks in dry wisps. She wore a very plain cotton Kimono that could not hide her emaciated body. Her skin was gray and dry. Her eyes were a dull brown, circled with dark shadows. She did not look at him, but kept her eyes cast down.

"Can I help you?" her voice was surprisingly sweet, a dainty, girlish sound.

She waited patiently for his reply, her hands folded tightly in front of her waist. He noticed that her little and ring fingers were missing from her left hand. The place where they had been was crusted over with yellowing scabs and the skin around the area was puffy and red.

She smelled like death.

Kiba had to choke back his rising gorge, pulling chakra from his nose and suppressing the urge to cover his face with his hand.

"Uh, yes," he said, almost forgetting his part, "Uh, I'm here for Tenten."

She looked up suddenly and he was shocked by the blaze of fire he saw in her eyes. The flash was gone as quickly as it came. She looked back down at the floor submissively.

"Tenten is not here," she said.

"Uh, oh," he said, looking over her shoulder into the foyer behind her. Was someone there? He thought he could see a shadowy form a few steps behind her. "I guess she must already be at the hospital."

"Yes," she said, quietly. She unclasped her hands and started to close the door with the injured one.

"Uh, wait," he said, "Would you tell her to come to the hospital if you see her?"

"Of course," she said. She pushed the door and then hissed in pain.

A hand was on her shoulder, dragging her back roughly from the door. Kiba could hear her body stumble back and hit something.

Kiba almost growled, but stifled it.

A man stood in the woman's place.

"You must be one of Tenten's team-mates," he said. The man was a little shorter than Kiba, but broad and deeply muscled. He held out his hand, his face split in a broad happy smile.

Kiba stepped back, looking over his shoulder at Akamaru, pretending that he didn't see the friendly gesture. There was no way he was going to shake hands with this guy. He was seriously creepy.

"Uh, yeah," he said, "Thanks for giving her the message."

The man swung the door open wide and reached for him.

The stench of rotting corpses was over-powering.

Kiba stumbled back, falling down the steps, nearly unconscious.

* * *

"Fuck," said Shikamaru, as the two launched themselves from the alleyway.

Akamaru lunged at the man, barking loudly.

"Hey, Kiba!" shouted Shino, catching his team-mate and dragging him off the steps, "there you are, man. We gotta go! Come on! Tenten's already at the hospital. Let's go." He continued his babble as he helped his friend down the path and out onto the street.

Akamaru stood in the pathway between the boys and the front door, his teeth bared in a vicious snarl.

"There you are!" said Shikamaru with hearty cheer. He waved at the silent figure standing in the shadowy doorway. "Let's go."

The two shinobi put Kiba's arms around their shoulders and walked him quickly away.

Akamaru gave one more warning bark, then bounded after them.

Shikamaru kept his eye on the doorway surreptitiously.

The man stood watching them with narrowed eyes, the false smile fading on his lips. His face twisted into a sneer. He stepped back into the house and shut the door quietly.

Shino looked at Shikamaru over the lolling head of his friend.

"We need to tell the Hokage," said Shikamaru.

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

_**A/N: Sorry, I just couldn't let things get too carried away. I just didn't want Neji to feel that he was part of the abuse. Still, I hope I gave you the impression that there is hope for this couple in the future.**_

_**At any rate, let me know what you think. I really do love to read your thoughts. 8]**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: Do not own Naruto.**_

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000**_

**Heart Broken: Chapter 14**

**Unclean**

Lady Tsunade looked Neji up and down sternly.

"Not too much strenuous training for at least a week," she said, "I'll speak to Gai-san about that. Otherwise, you're free to go."

"Thank you," said Neji, bowing shallowly. He couldn't wait to leave and join Tenten at the practice fields.

The medical-nin looked around the room with a wry smile on her face.

"Any idea what your uncle plans to do with all this stuff?" she said.

"Uh," Neji couldn't think of an answer. He was rarely privy to his uncle's plans. "I don't -."

"That's alright," said Tsunade, patting him on the shoulder kindly, "maybe he'll forget and leave it here."

"Hmm," Neji left it at that. Usually, she shouted or barked orders. Her sudden calm kindness was a little unsettling.

"Maybe you'll suggest that when he comes to get you?" She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him.

"I guess," he said, confused, "I'll ask, but – wait! Did you say he's coming to get me?"

What was going on? Any other trip to the hospital, and there had been quite a few since becoming a ninja, would end with a walk home. Was there something she hadn't told him?

"He said he would come by," said Tsunada, surveying the room with a shy smile.

Was she blushing? Neji's brows lifted and his jaw dropped. The blush and smile certainly weren't for him, which meant they were for –.

_Oh, my Kami!_

* * *

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

Hiashi followed Hanabi down the private hospital corridor with Hinata at his side, hurrying in as dignified a way as was possible. He really didn't want to give Hanabi too much of a head-start, but short of lifting the skirts of his robes and sprinting, he was not going to beat her to Neji's room.

"Neji!" Hanabi, shouted, slamming the door open.

Hiashi walked faster.

"Neji! You are not going to believe this!"

He could hear her high excited voice very clearly. He inwardly groaned, ignoring the worried look Hinata gave him.

"Neji! Father went on a date last night!"

Really, was it quite necessary for the girl to scream? Hadn't she learned anything at those very expensive etiquette lessons?

"He got in a _fight! _He has a black eye!"

Had they added to the corridor? Because it seemed like it was taking much longer to get to the hospital room.

"And guess who the date was with! You'll never guess who -."

Hiashi lifted his skirts and sprinted.

" - he was with!"

Almost there.

"Lady Tsunade-sama!" said Hanabi, triumphantly.

Hiashi barreled into the room, skidding to an ungraceful stop.

Hanabi was standing next Neji by the bed. Neji was neatly folding pajamas.

Hiashi forced himself to stand and straightened his robes.

"Hanabi," he said, gravely and a little breathlessly, "that's enough."

Hinata followed him into the room and went over to help Neji stack things on the folded clothing.

"H-Hanabi," she said, softly, "st-stop."

Hanabi frowned. She tossed her head defiantly.

"That's not all!" she hissed, loudly.

Oh, no.

"He didn't come home until this morning!"

Neji and Hinata stopped what they were doing and turned.

Hiashi stood stock-still, pinned by the stare of three sets of pale Hyuuga eyes.

He was fortunate that the etiquette lessons had paid off for Neji and Hinata, at least. They did not feel compelled to join Hanabi in her pithily expressed opinion.

"Eeewwww!"

* * *

_**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

"Found it!" said Sakura, triumphantly, waving the lab report in the air. It had taken awhile, but she had finally tracked down what was bothering her about Neji's case. She tucked the report in a folder and added it to her pile of medical records.

_I need to get this to Tsunade-sensai!_

She hurried towards the hospital entrance.

"Sakura!"

What now? She needed to show this to Tsunade immediately.

"Not now!" she shouted impatiently over her shoulder.

"Sakura! It's Kiba!" shouted Shikamaru.

She stopped and turned, running to help him and Shino with the barely conscious dog-nin.

"What happened?" she asked, leading the way to one of the triage beds. She signaled to an ER med-nin to come over. "Get some vitals and a chemistry, stat!" She pushed Shikamaru unceremoniously out of the way and started to examine Kiba quickly.

No broken bones, no visible signs of trauma. His skin was pale, almost gray, and he was covered in a cold sweat.

"I need another medic over here!" she shouted, "Wait outside," she said, brusquely to the two anxious shinobi, pulling the privacy curtain around the bed and pushing them out of its fragile protection. "I need to get to work and you two are in the way!"

She signaled to the other medic to give her the equipment to start an IV line.

"Check his chakra levels," she barked.

"72%," said the med-nin.

This was starting to look too much like Neji's case.

"Shikamaru! Shino!" she shouted, knowing they were just outside the curtain.

"Yo," said Shikamaru, tensely, twitching the curtain a little to let her see him.

"Go get Lady Tsunade!"

The two ninjas left without a sound.

* * *

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

Akamaru lay very still under the hospital bed.

This was bad, very bad.

Master's smell was sick.

Bad sick.

Like that place.

Bad place.

He watched the legs move quickly around the bed, his eyes anxious.

Watching his back.

Always, always, Master.

* * *

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

"Good work, Sakura," said the Fifth Hokage, "How's the Inuzuka?"

"He's stable," said Sakura, "His chakra levels are very low and he's been going in and out of consciousness, but I think he'll recover soon. I put him in Neji's room," she glanced hesitantly over at the Hyuuga clan leader, who was standing with Neji near the Hokage's huge desk. "It seemed right," she added, a little apologetically.

Hiashi bowed politely.

"Continue," said Tsunade.

"When Neji first came into the ER, I got blood samples, chakra levels and vital signs from everyone he came in contact with in the week before he got sick. It didn't seem significant at first, until I got back his tests," Sakura's voice started to get excited, "I noticed that Tenten's blood tests showed a similar anomaly to Neji's. Her chakra levels were also a little lower than the others, not enough to be of concern at the time. Just puzzling. I was on my way to show you when Kiba came in."

"Should I leave," said Hiashi.

"No," said Tsunade, crisply, "you are a jounin of the village and may be needed. Inuzuka Kiba was attacked with the same virus as your nephew and Tenten. From what Shikamaru and Shino have said, there is at least a tokoju level rogue-nin living in this village hurting our citizens. I may need you. Izumo! Kotetsu!"

The door crashed open and the two chuunin stumbled in.

"Hai, Godaime-sama," said Izumo.

"Go get Hatake Kakashi and Tenten and tell them to -," she stopped when she saw Kakashi lounging against the door of the office, "Get Tenten-san and tell her to get over here right away."

The two saluted and sped out the door, closing it with a slam.

"Good," said Tsunade. She looked over at the two young shinobi standing in front of her.

"Tell me again why you went to the house and what happened there," she signaled to the copy-ninja, "Kakashi, get over here and listen."

"Yo," said the silver-haired former ANBU, strolling forward to join Shikamaru and Shino.

* * *

_**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

Tenten looked around her at the faces in the room. Lady Tsunada and Sakura, looking concerned, Hyuuga-sama with his usual cold expression, Shikamaru looking bored, Kakashi and Shino looking – well, it was hard to tell their expressions since their faces were covered. The only person she really wanted to see was Neji, and he was turned half-way away from her with his face down and shadowed.

"I," she said, hesitantly, "I don't understand."

She looked over at Neji again, licking her lips nervously.

"Shikamaru, Shino, and Kiba investigated your foster home based on some suspicions Neji had about your foster father," said the Fifth Hokage.

"You," the air in the office seemed to grow thick and dark around her, "you told them about m-me?" she whispered. He didn't look at her.

She felt sick. They knew? They all knew how despicable she was? How filthy her life was?

She almost fell to her knees with the crushing sense of betrayal and self-loathing.

"Tenten," said Sakura, coming forward and putting her arm around her shivering form, "you've been infected with the same virus as Neji and Kiba."

"Virus?" whispered Tenten, "Infected?"

"Yes," continued Sakura, "It seems to be some kind of jutsu, like Shino's kikai only on the viral level. You have been sick with this for quite a while. Probably some kind of genjutsu that has been controlling you. You gave it to Neji, and he got sick."

Tenten's heart stuttered.

_Unclean._

"I infected him?" she said, horrified, "I made him sick?"

She looked desperately over at Neji, pleading in her eyes. He shifted, but would not look at her.

"Neji," she whispered. He finally looked up at her, his face unreadable. She choked on her despair. She pushed Sakura away. "I made him sick."

_Unclean._

"Tenten," said Tsunade, roughly, "this is not your fault. Whoever this man is, he has some high-level skills. He's infected you and Neji, and now, Kiba. You did not do this."

_Unclean._

"Go with Sakura, now," ordered the blonde medical-ninja, "She wants to run tests, see if she can break this jutsu."

Tenten felt Sakura put her arm around her again, pulling her towards the door.

"Come on, Tenten," said Sakura, briskly, "this won't take long. And then, we'll kick that monster's ass!"

Tenten struggled a little, looking over at Neji.

Nothing on his face but a slight frown.

_Unclean._

* * *

_**000000000000000000000000000000000000**_

* * *

Neji clenched his fists. He felt heart-sick. Tenten had looked to him for reassurance and he hadn't given it to her. It didn't matter that the Hokage had asked him to stay out of the conversation.

He had betrayed her twice over.

First by telling Shino, Kiba and Shikamaru that he thought she was being abused.

He didn't feel bad about that. She was his team-mate and his soul-mate. He would do anything to protect her.

Even hurt her.

It was this second betrayal, that filled him with shame.

Why hadn't he smiled at her, at least?

He didn't know.

"I need to -," he started toward the door.

"Stay right there," ordered the Hokage, sharply.

Years of training stopped him in his tracks.

"Sakura will take care of the girl," said Tsunade, "we need to come up with a plan. You will have a chance to make things right with her."

He glared at the woman in frustration.

She was right.

The most important thing right now was to eliminate her enemy.

"What do you want me to do?" he growled.

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Tenten slipped into the hospital room.

Kiba lay on the bed Neji had lately vacated. He was hooked up to a monitor and IV line.

His eyes were closed and he looked much smaller than usual, younger and vulnerable.

He looked terrible.

"Kiba," whispered Tenten, creeping up to the bed and picking up his listless hand. "I'm so sorry, Kiba."

Her tears fell onto the crisp bedding unheeded.

She didn't startle when she heard Akamaru whine a little, or when she felt his warm tongue lick her ankle.

Instead, she dropped down to the floor and put her arms around the ninja-dog, burying her face in his thick ruff of white fur.

"Akamaru, I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry."

Akamaru whined again, leaning heavily onto the girl.

"Hey," croaked Kiba, from the bed, "you tryin' to make time with my dog?"

"Kiba!" she bounced up and gave him a quick hug.

"That's better," said Kiba, weakly teasing, "although I don't think Neji would like you giving me some of your sugar."

"Kiba, I'm so -," Tenten's tears started up again.

"Man, Tenten," said Kiba, "that is some serious shit going on at your house. That guy is one bad fucker. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I – I couldn't," she whispered, "he would hurt – someone else."

"Yeah," he said, "I saw your foster mother."

Tenten froze in shock.

"You saw her?" she gasped.

"Yeah," said Kiba. He gestured toward a glass of water by the bed, "man, I am so thirsty, do you mind?"

She picked up the glass and guided the straw into his mouth. He sucked on the straw deeply, then fell back on the pillows with a sigh.

"Better," he said, "anyway, your Mom, she's really sick. I think she's dying."

"No!" cried Tenten, "he promised if I behaved, he wouldn't hurt her anymore."

"Tenten," said Kiba, "it looked like she cut her hand. Did he do that?"

Tenten nodded dumbly, ashamed.

"I – I couldn't stop him," she whispered, "I tried to stop him, but he knocked me out. When I woke up, her fingers were lying next to me. He said he would cut off more every time I defied him. He s-said," she stopped and choked, "he said, 'first her fingers, then her toes.' I haven't fought him since them."

"Kami," whispered Kiba, brushing the hair back from her face, "you don't need to carry this all by yourself anymore, Tenten. We're gonna get this guy and -."

"No!" said Tenten, pushing away from the bed, "No! Look what he did to you and you just went to the house! He'll kill you! He'll kill Neji!"

"Tenten," said Kiba, alarmed, "wait!"

"I have to stop him," she said, running out the door.

"Shit," said Kiba, hunting desperately for the call button.

Akamaru mouthed it to him.

"Thanks, buddy," said the dog-nin, "better go get the Hokage!"

Akamaru barked and nosed his way out of the door.

"Neji's never gonna forgive me," muttered Kiba, pulling out the IV line.

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**_A/N: Hope you like this latest installment. Please review? It really is great to get your feedback. Speaking of which, I'm not able to answer some of you because your reply function is turned off. So, take this as your reply: I love hearing from you, thank you so much for your comments. MF 8]_**


	15. Chapter 15

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 15**

**Resolve**

Tenten raced over the rooftops in the evening light.

"_- suspicions Neji had about your foster father."_

Oh, Kami, she should never have gone back to the hospital, never let him see her bruises.

How could she have been so stupid? She knew Neji was smart, maybe one of the smartest people she knew besides Shikamaru. Had she wanted him to find out?

She stumbled a little, slipping on some broken tiles. She choked on a horrified sob as she regained her footing and ran on.

Of course she wanted him to know. Wanted to see if he could still like her – love her – if he knew. And now he did know. Not everything, but most of it.

And he couldn't bear to even look at her. He had listened to what Tsunade and Sakura said and he hadn't said a word. He had stared at her with those impassive Hyuuga eyes.

Despicable, she was despicable.

_Unclean._

She had infected him. Brought that vicious ugliness into his calm life and infected him. Made him so sick he had to be hospitalized.

Oh, Kami, despicable.

She slipped again, wrenching her ankle painfully and falling hard on one knee.

And now he would go with the others.

Confront the man, fight him, maybe get hurt, maybe die.

All because of her.

Because she was too weak to fight him herself.

Despicable.

Slowly, she pulled herself up and stood on the roof.

If Sakura was to be believed, the man had used jounin-level genjutsus on her, which explained why she felt powerless around him.

No longer.

Sakura had broken the genjutsu, bolstering Tenten's chakra with her own clean energy.

Now, she would face him like the weapons mistress kunoichi she was.

She continued more slowly towards the house.

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Sakura and Akamaru made it to the staggering Inuzuka at about the same time, closely followed by the others.

They reached him just as he slid down the wall and landed on his butt.

"Well, shit," said Kiba, mildly, putting his arm around Akamaru.

The big nin-dog whined and licked his face vigorously.

"Kiba!" shouted Sakura, "you're bleeding all over the place, you idiot!" She ran into the hospital room and came back with a towel that she pressed against the back of his hand where the IV had recently been. "You can't just go pulling out IVs, you big lummox."

"Oh, hi, Sakura," said Kiba, with a vague smile, "I was just looking for you. Did you see Tenten – oh, there's Neji. He's going to be seriously pissed at me. Pretend I'm not here, okay, Sakura?" He closed his eyes and buried his face in Akamaru's coat. "Is he still there?"

"I'm here," growled Neji, squatting down next to the confused dog-nin, "what about Tenten?"

"Yeah, about that," drawled Kiba, "I didn't expect her to take off like that -."

"Take off!" Neji jumped up, ready to race down the hall. Kakashi stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Let me go! I need to find her -."

"Wait," said Kakashi evenly. He stared at the Hyuuga sternly. "You won't be any good to her without finding out what's going on. First, let's get Kiba back to bed."

Neji struggled for a moment under the heavy hand of the copy-ninja.

He nodded, stooping with Kakashi to lift Kiba up from the ground.

"Oh, hi, Neji," said Kiba, "Did Sakura tell you I was here? Can't trust girls, you know?"

Neji almost dragged the sick boy back into the hospital room and had to forcibly stop himself from flinging Kiba onto the bed.

Fortunately for Kiba, Kakashi was making sure that he didn't get slam-dunked onto the mattress.

"Oh, man," sighed Kiba, sinking into the pillow, "crap, that feels good. Hey, Neji, did you see Tenten? We were talking about that psychopath she lives with – hey! What are you doing?"

Kiba weakly tried pluck Neji's fists from the front of his hospital gown.

"What did you say?" Neji's voice shook .

"Neji," said Kakashi, again grabbing the young shinobi's shoulder, "step back. Give Kiba some air."

Neji glared at the dog-nin. He uncurled his fingers and stepped back.

"Man, dude," gasped Kiba, "that was harsh!"

"Kiba," said Kakashi, "tell me what you and Tenten talked about."

"Oh, right," said Kiba, "man, it was gross. That woman's hand and all."

"What woman?" said Kakashi, patiently.

"The woman," said Kiba, looking owlishly up at Kakashi, then glancing around the room. He grinned when he saw his former team-mate, "Shino, hey, Shino, tell Kakashi about the woman."

"No," said Neji, trying to push past Kakashi to grab Kiba again, "YOU tell us about the woman!"

Kakashi blocked him, and leaned over Kiba. "What woman? What about her hand?"

"Tenten says it's her foster mom. She says the guy, her foster dad, he's been cutting off her fingers to make Tenten – do things, 'behave', she said," said Kiba, a little more alert, "I asked her, 'cause her hand, you know, the woman's hand, was all infected. She smelled bad. She smelled like she was dying." Kiba gagged.

Sakura grabbed an emesis basin from the bedside and held it for Kiba as he spit bile into it.

"Oh, Kami," whispered Hiashi. He shared a grim look with Tsunade. What kind of monster did that poor girl live with?

"Kakashi," said Kiba, after taking a sip of water and spitting it into the basin, "it smelled like all kinds of death there. Like there were bodies buried in the house."

"Kiba," said Shikamaru, quietly, "when you first went to the house, you were alright. What happened?"

Kiba fell back again.

"Uh, first, I didn't smell anything except the woman, how afraid she was. I knew someone was blocking the smells with chakra. Then the man came to the door," Kiba shuddered, "he yanked her back. I could hear her falling. I got mad, and I think – I don't know - he tried to get me, tried to grab me. And then I smelled it, rotting bodies and -."

The others waited while Kiba vomited more bile.

"Tenten said she would stop him. She ran out of here and I sent Akamaru to get you," finished Kiba, with a heavy sigh. He looked over at Neji, "Hey, I'm sorry. I tried to stop her, Neji." He shook his head in frustration.

"It's okay, Kiba," said Kakashi, patting the boy on the shoulder. Kakashi turned to the others. "We need a plan. Shikamaru, this is your thing, come up with something. Akamaru, can you get Hinata? We'll need her. She's got a cool head and can help with Tenten. Oh, yeah, guess we'd better get Naruto, too. We may need that knucklehead if it comes to a battle. Hiashi-sama, are you willing to help?"

"Of course," said the older man, looking a little puzzled. Had Kakashi been referring to _his _Hinata as someone with a cool head?

"We don't need a plan," said Neji, his voice tense with anger, "We need to get going and help her!"

"Neji," said Kakashi, putting both hands on the younger man's shoulders and pinning him with a look, "I know how you feel," Neji tried to jerk away, "really, I do. But this guy sounds like he likes to play games. If we go rushing in, we might put Tenten and her foster mother in greater danger. Let's come up with a plan and help her, okay?"

Neji clenched his jaw and fists, looking like he was going to knock Kakashi down. The others tensed, waiting to see what would happen. They all relaxed with a sigh when Neji nodded and took a step back.

"Good," said Kakashi, he looked over his shoulder at Shikamaru, who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa with his elbows on his knees and his fingers in his favorite meditative pose, "let's let the tactical master come up with something for us. Then, I promise you, we'll get this guy."

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**_A/N: Sorry, this one isn't as long as others and is more exposition than action... I've got a major project that is taking up a lot of time at work...Let me know what you think, please. MF 8]_**


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto. That would be the ramen-lovin' Masashi Kishimoto.**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 16**

**Getting Busy**

Tenten crouched on the alley roof-tops about to seal her weapons away in their hiding place.

She stopped her hand motions with a confused frown.

_What am I doing?_

Something was wrong. Something needed doing. Didn't she need her weapons?

But she never took her weapons to the house.

It would be too dangerous to take the weapons. Her foster father had said so.

She had to get to the house. Kiba had said the man was hurting her foster mother again, and he'd tried to hurt Kiba, too.

She needed to get there to –

What?

_What am I doing?_

Her heart pounded sickeningly.

Sakura, remember Sakura.

Sakura said…something about a genjutsu.

Sakura said…

"…_if you forget, look at your wrist."_

Tenten's eyes dropped to her wrists. On the inside of the left was a small circle with the kanji symbol for 'Release' painted in it. Surrounding the kanji, at regular intervals, were three tomes with their tails pointing inward towards the kanji. She frowned, tracing the strokes of the kanji with her right index finger.

_How did this get here?_

When her finger finished the last stroke, she gasped, her eyes wide.

It felt as though a cold wind had swept through her body.

She could remember everything Sakura said.

"_He's using some kind of genjutsu on you, Tenten. Kind of like an illusion virus. It makes you feel weak, unable to fight back. I'm drawing this on your wrist so that you can use it to release your mind from the jutsu. Just remember to look at your wrist and trace the kanji. Don't forget. If you forget, look at your wrist."_

Hot, scalding anger poured through her, cleansing her of her fears and doubts.

She picked up her weapons scrolls and hung them across her back. She filled every pocket, every pouch with all the shuriken, kunai, senbon, and exploding tags she had stashed away. She was astonished at how many there were in her hiding place.

She felt another cleansing surge of anger as she tucked poisoned senbons carefully into her twin buns of hair. This man's illusions had stripped her of all her hard-won abilities and she had stashed them away too, just like all her weapons.

Well, now he would get to meet the real Tenten.

Not Little 'This-and-That', the abandoned orphan, but Tenten, the Chunin Weapons Mistress, who had survived a battle with Sabaku no Temari and her giant iron fan.

She strapped her flexible tanto blade onto her back and stood tall on the roof, staring down at the house that had been her prison.

The windows were all dark, although there was the inevitable flickering of the blue light from the TV through the shadowy front window. The doors were shut tight. There was no movement to be seen.

She looked up and down the narrow street the house was on and shook her head in amazement.

The house was one of three ramshackle buildings and was obviously the only inhabited house on the street. How had she never noticed that they lived all alone on this street? She had only seen this house in her mind. For a moment, she could feel the illusion creep back, seeing the house, and only the house, loom ominously across from her.

She quickly touched the kanji symbol again, _release, _welcoming the cold rush of reality.

She stood straight and tall.

Tenten, Weapons Mistress.

Avenger.

She jumped down into the street and stalked towards the house.

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Shikamaru looked around at the assembled shinobi in the hospital room with a critical eye.

"Are we clear on everything?" he asked, not at all intimidated by the various levels of chunins and jounins that listened to him. Strategy was where he excelled, and everyone there knew it.

Kakashi nodded sharply, unfolding himself from where he squatted by the door.

"Right," said Kakashi, "Hiashi-san, Hinata-san, and I will get in place. Shino, does everyone have a tracer bug?"

Shino nodded.

Naruto twitched his shoulder and the kikai bug that had been snuggled in his collar buzzed loudly.

As if responding to a silent roll call, each bug hummed in turn from each human.

"Everyone can be traced," said Shino.

"Damn," whispered Naruto loudly to Hinata, "gotta say, that's kinda creepy!"

"Uh-," whispered Hinata back. She looked over at Shino and shrugged apologetically.

"Good," said Shikamaru, ignoring the hyperactive blonde's interruption, "we'll wait for your reports before we move in."

Kakashi, Hiashi and Hinata nodded in agreement.

Shikamaru looked around again, suddenly feeling a little awestruck. Here he was, Shikamaru, the Slacker, giving orders to elite jounin like Hatake Kakashi, not to mention bossing around Hinata's father. He smirked a little, then got very serious.

"Let's go!"

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Neji, Shino, Sakura and Shikamaru crouched on the alley roof-tops, peering down into the mean street below.

Neji smothered the shock the view had delivered.

It was time to help Tenten now, not dwell on how terrible her house was.

He forced himself to look critically at the building and surrounding area, memorizing it as he would any possible battle scene, activating his Byakugan bloodline limit.

A small yard fronted the house, closed off from the street by a sagging gate. Looking through the house he could see that there was a larger yard sloping downward into a ravine. On the other side of the ravine, was a bluff of scraggly trees. There was a shed in the back, surprisingly well maintained. He could see the chakra seals closing the entrances to the door which was secured by a shiny lock.

He turned his inspection to the house, his heartbeat spiking when he saw the chakra outlines of the people inside.

Relief poured through him when he recognized Tenten's signature. She was alive, thank the Gods, and unhurt.

"She's there," he murmured to Shikamaru, "and she's unharmed." He looked past her to see who else was in the building. There were one-two…three other signatures.

"Shikamaru," he said, "there are two other adults there and, I think, a child."

"Shit," said Shikamaru, "that might change things a little. Shino, send your bugs in to check out the child. We may need to alter our fighting style to protect the kid."

Shino nodded and took off.

"Sakura," said Shikamaru, "stay alert. We already know the woman is injured. Prepare yourself for the child."

"Right," said Sakura, frowning. She yanked on her fighting gloves angrily.

"Man," she growled, "this guy is really in for a beating!"

Shikamaru studied Neji for a moment.

"I don't know if my theory is right," he said, slowly.

"I don't care," said Neji, tightly, "I'm going in anyway."

"Yeah," said Shikamaru, with a small sideways smile, "I know. Just be careful. Tenten won't like it if you - the kid - gets hurt."

Neji turned and glared at the shadow-nin.

"What do you take me for?" he hissed, furiously, "I -." He stopped when he saw Shikamaru's smirk. "Right," he said, "I'll be careful."

Shikamaru nodded.

"Can you let the others know to get in place?" he said.

Neji activated the Byakugan again, sending chakra signals to Hinata and Hiashi.

"Done," he said.

"Good," said Shikamaru, "now we wait for everyone to get in place."

Neji gritted his teeth.

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Hinata and Hiashi signaled to Naruto, moving with Kaskashi to their own assigned posts.

"_Kakashi, Hiashi and Hinata," Shikamaru had said, dropping honorifics and speaking decisively, "since you are able to see through chakra, you'll each take a third of the perimeter. Don't get too close. We already know by Neji and Kiba's reaction that this genjutsu acts fast._

'_You'll keep an eye on the people inside the building. If absolutely necessary, you'll go in and provide back-up. Don't engage unless there is no other option."_

All three ninjas examined the building, the Hyuugas using the Byakugan bloodline and Kakashi, his Sharingan eye. The Byakugan eyes were able to see through the building while Kakashi could see the chakra signatures. They each located Tenten and then the other occupants of the building.

"Oh, dear," whispered Hinata, "a child!"

She looked more carefully at the child. Her Byakugan abilities had been developed enough to be able to see great detail. She could tell that the child was being held by another adult, probably the target. His chakra was strong, a muddied red slashed with dark green, turbulent and swirling, while the child's was a pale yellow.

They would need to be careful. The child was frightened.

And the adult was unstable.

Hinata whispered a blessing for Tenten and the child.

And then, for Neji.

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Hiashi started when he saw the child's chakra. This could be very bad. He could see through to Hinata and Kakashi on the other points of the perimeter. They had also noted the child and would know to take care.

He allowed himself to feel wonder at Hinata's strong focus and confidence. Her chakra glowed a clear, lovely silver.

He was beginning to realize that he may have underestimated his quiet eldest daughter.

She was taking part in this effort as a competent member of the team. Her team members respected her, and more than that, casually depended on her without question.

Perhaps it was time for him to do the same.

Something to think on later.

In the meantime, he focused on finding the mother.

Her chakra was weak, but he found it, a pale pink color shot with small amounts of gold. Weak physically, but strong spiritually.

Hiashi filed that information away for later, too.

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Kakashi quickly found Tenten and the mother's chakra. The woman was weak, probably injured, but Tenten appeared to be unharmed.

He noted the child's chakra and adjusted his thinking to include this new addition.

He concentrated on the target.

The target's chakra burned with resentment, anger and the same kind of sadistic paranoia Kakashi had seen before in other rogue ninjas.

Kakashi spared a thought to wonder how this man had stayed in the Village of the Hidden Leaf without being detected. According to what he had heard from Tenten the rogue had been here for at least three years.

Three years to torment women and children.

As Shikamaru had cautioned earlier, it would be wise to keep the target alive enough to turn over to Morino Ibiki, the Interrogation Specialist. There might be some very significant information to be gotten out of the man.

And the torture to get it would just be an added bonus.

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Neji paused for a moment at the gate leading to the house. He glanced around, the Byakugan bloodline clearly noting the others.

The two Hyuugas and Kakashi, guarding the perimeter.

Naruto and paired groups of shadow clones backing them up, circling the house and yard.

Shino, standing behind him in the street directing the kikai inside, and Shikamaru and Sakura on the roof-tops across from the house.

Time to get busy.

Neji ran into the house.

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_**A/N: Hope you like this installment. Please review. Please? I'm beggin' here...It's easy to do. Really! I do it all the time...8]**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Sorry it's been awhile. Been busy with work and life in general. Also, struggled with this chapter…well, you'll see what I mean. P.S. Don't own Naruto…**_

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**Broken Hearted: Chapter 17**

**Gaining Control**

Tenten stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up.

He was up there somewhere.

Up there with the woman he had been torturing to make Tenten comply with – his requests.

She would need to go up there after him.

The passive fears she had always felt in this house began to creep into her mind again.

_Release._

She touched her wrist. The renewing chakra wind refreshed her. She pulled her kunai and shuriken, grabbing them between her fingers and ran up the stairs.

She stopped at the top landing.

No one in the corridor.

All the doorways were blank and dark.

He was in one of the rooms, then. Or perhaps the attic.

She stepped cautiously into her foster mother's bedroom.

Empty.

The sheets on the sagging bed were tossed back. There was blood on the sheets and pillow. A lot of blood. A bloody handprint on the table by the bed.

Tenten walked slowly around the foot of the bed, holding her breath, to see if her foster mother lay on the floor on the other side.

No one there. But there was more blood. It looked like a body had been dragged through it and the dust into the small bathroom attached to the room.

Tenten followed the bloody mud streaks slowly to the bathroom and looked inside.

There was a body in the bathtub.

Her breathing hitched.

She was too late.

She made herself move forward and looked down at her foster mother curled up in the blood-stained bathtub.

_Oh, Kami, too late…_

Then she saw the slight fluttering of a pulse at the woman's throat.

She fell to her knees, dropping the weapons with a clang.

"Mother," she whispered, touching the woman's face, "Mother, you'll be alright. I'll get you out of here."

She ran her hands over the woman, searching for wounds.

She had been stabbed at least fifty times, all shallow cuts. Enough to weaken someone, but not enough to kill right away. Death would come, but it would be a slow agonizing bleeding out.

Tenten had only learned the most minimal of medical skills, but she used some chakra to stop the bleeding from the deepest cuts, grabbing towels to press against the wounds she couldn't get heal right away.

"Tenten," whispered the woman, "Tenten, don't -."

Tenten looked up from a deep gash across the woman's thigh. The woman's eyes were open and she was staring intently at Tenten.

"Mother," said Tenten, brokenly, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you alone here -."

"Tenten," whispered the woman, "stop. Go find her. Leave me."

Tenten leaned over the woman's face to hear her better.

"I don't understand," she said, "I'm not leaving you -."

The woman reached up her mutilated hand and put it over one of Tenten's strong hands.

"You are a good girl, Tenten," she whispered, smiling faintly, "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him."

Tenten started to protest.

"Please, Tenten," the woman's voice was fading fast, "I don't have much time. He has a child with him. You must save her. Not me."

"Oh, Kami," breathed Tenten, in horror.

"Go, help her," said her mother, "hurry."

"Yes," said Tenten, looking down at her mother, "I'll come back for you. I promise."

She tucked one of the towels under her mother's head, a vain attempt to make her more comfortable. She kissed her bloody forehead.

"Go," whispered her mother, smiling faintly, "Daughter."

Tenten patted her mother on the cheek.

She picked up her weapons, positioning them carefully and left the room.

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Neji stopped as soon as he pushed open the front door. He activated the Byakugan and looked around the lower level.

A kitchen to the back.

A dining room to his right.

A living room to his left.

A large wooden staircase leading to the upper story.

There was no one on the lower level, but he could see a chakra imprint in the living room.

He stepped carefully into the living room, his body ready to assume the pose for the gentle fist.

Everything in the room was tinged with the dark muddy red chakra of the man who lived in it. The last time he had seen such a filthy color was when his team had fought against the Akatsuki.

Tenten had lived with this.

He choked down his rage and refocused himself on finding Tenten and the target.

He heard movement upstairs and activated his bloodline limit again.

Tenten was on the right somewhere moving cautiously towards the left side of the house.

Neji looked passed her and could see two chakra signatures higher. In the attics, probably.

He quickly walked out of the room and started up the stairs.

He stopped abruptly, staring up.

Tenten stood at the top of the landing, glaring down at him.

She looked magnificent. The essence of her chakra burned a pure white with gold shot through it. She looked like a goddess, wrapped in power.

A royally pissed off goddess.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, furious.

He couldn't help himself.

He grinned.

"Looking for you," he said, running up the rest of the stairs.

"I don't need your help," she growled, "Go away."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Neji, crossing his arms. "This guy's a jounin level ninja with some nasty habits. We have orders to capture him and take him to Interrogation."

"Orders!" said Tenten, "You're on a mission?"

"The Hokage sent a team here -," he faltered, stopped by her expression.

"You came to rescue me? To save the day?" she whispered, her face stricken, "because I can't do it? I'm not strong enough?" She looked down at the floor, her chakra dimming, becoming turbulent, streaked with grayish brown threads of doubt.

He realized, suddenly, that he had one slim chance to make this right. A battle would be fought, not just against a bad rogue-nin who had infiltrated their village, but a battle to give Tenten back herself.

He wanted to rescue her, protect her, but he knew her, her fierce determination to be as strong a member on their team as Lee or he was. If he took that away he would be doing the same thing as the man had done.

He went up to her slowly, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"We are a team. We are fighting as a team. You rescue me. I rescue you. You fight. I fight. We do this together. Yes?" as he spoke she looked up at him, frowning, her hand tracing a symbol on the inside of her wrist.

Her eyes darkened then became lit from within as clear and beautiful as the finest carnelian.

"Yes," she said.

"He's up there," Neji jerked his head toward the ceiling.

"In the attic," she said looking upward, "there's a child with him."

"I saw," said Neji, and she nodded, "your mother?"

"She's in the bathroom," she said, voice tight, "He cut her up. I healed some of it. I don't know if she'll make it. She sent me to get the child."

Neji squeezed her shoulders.

"Lead the way," he said.

She turned and ran gracefully down the hallway and jumped up the stairs into the attic.

* * *

Outside the house, Hiashi, Kakashi and Hinata signaled the others.

_On the move._

Shikamaru nodded to Shino.

A steady stream of kikai headed to the broken place in the roof they had found earlier.

The pairs of Naruto clones and the one real Naruto clustered closer, their eyes glowing with a hint of red, a wide toothy grin on each whiskered face.

* * *

Inside the house, Neji jumped up the stairs after Tenten.

There was a large couch bathed in a pool of light facing the stairs. Sitting comfortably on it was the man. A child, about seven years old, lay across his lap. She was either sleeping or passed out, but appeared to be unharmed.

"Tenten," said the man, genially, "you've finally come home." He shook his finger at her, "Did you check in with your mother? I hope you realized you are responsible for that mess! If only you'd done what I asked like a good girl!" He sighed heavily, gesturing towards the stairs. "Well, you're home now, and I see you brought your little friend with you."

Neji glanced around the room quickly.

He and Tenten were standing in the middle of the room. In front of them, towards the back of the house was the couch. To either side were areas stacked with boxes and broken furniture.

There was a large wardrobe on one side of the couch. The door sagged open and Neji could just see clothing hanging inside.

There was a straight back arm chair to one side of the couch. The arms and front legs of the chair were fitted with leather straps. Neji could see faint chakra residue on the straps, the same pale pink of Tenten's foster mother. There were stains running down the chair arms and dried in droplets on the floor. A table stood next to the chair. Laid out on the table with the precision of a surgical suite were several tools. A flat-head screw-driver, a pair of small pruning shears, a ball-peen hammer, a set of wood chisels, a set of kitchen knives.

Neji noticed the different video cameras set up around the room on tripods. One focused on the stairs, one on the chair, the couch. Everything was being recorded.

_It's a set. A stage set._

Rage threatened to choke him.

"I didn't come home," said Tenten, her voice rich with anger and loathing, "I came to end this."

The man laughed delightedly.

"Oh, my dear girl," he said indulgently, "as I've told you so many times before, only I can end this." He waved his hand forward. "Now introduce your friend to me, Tenten. I don't like to see you losing your manners when guests are here."

Neji stepped forward to one side and a little behind her rigid form. He rested his hand lightly on the small of her back. He was relieved to feel her spine straighten and her ribs expand in a cleansing breath.

The man looked him up and down.

"Ah," he said, oozing bonhomie, "a Hyuuga, how nice. Those eyes will fetch quite a price on the black market."

The man stood up and placed the child gently down on the sofa, arranging her limbs and arms neatly. He stretched, popping his vertebrae and sighing contentedly.

He turned back and smiled at Tenten and Neji, making some hand signs.

"Now," he said, "Tenten, offer your friend a seat." He waved his hand toward the chair graciously. He frowned when neither of them moved. His eyes narrowed. "I said," he repeated the hand gestures, "SIT DOWN!"

Tenten tipped her head to one side.

"I don't think so, old man," she said, and let the weapons in her fingers fly in a blur.

As she let go her weapons, Neji ducked under her arm, putting himself between the child and the man.

The man bellowed and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving a handful of dry leaves to fall on the floor. The weapons hit the walls with loud thunks.

Neji lunged for the child.

A handful of dry leaves flew from his hands.

Tenten rushed to Neji, and the two stood back-to-back looking around the room.

Neji activated his Byakugan but could only see the chakra signature he had seen before.

"He's gone," he said. He could feel Tenten's rage vibrating through his back.

"He was here," she growled, "I know it! Where did he go?"

They looked more carefully, noticing how the kikai were flying about the room, buzzing insistently. The bugs swarmed together and streamed out of the roof.

Tenten grabbed her kunai, swiftly wrapping some exploding tags around the handles. She flung them after the kunai. The tags landed in the rafters of the house and exploded outward.

Neji and Tenten leapt out of the hole, landing on the roof top ridge.

The rest of the team surged forward, surrounding them.

Tenten shot like an arrow off the roof following the stream of kikai heading to the padlocked shed in the yard below.

She landed in front of the shed kicking the door in. The kikai surrounded her, surging past her to stream into the dark space.

She stood on the threshold staring into the tiny room.

She had never been in it before. It had always been kept locked, and she'd stayed as far away from it as she could.

She stepped carefully in, looking around her warily. There was no sign of the man, nor of the child, but she could sense him here.

The shed was completely empty. Not a tool, or barrow, or ancient equipment cluttered its interior. There was only a bare lightbulb hanging from the center of the tiny space with a chain hanging down and the rough wood floor under her feet.

She stepped into the center of the room.

Where had the bastard gone?

She could hear the others behind her.

Kakashi stepped into the shed and stood at her shoulder.

"Sakura's with your mother," he said, "Shino's sent for a medical team to take her to the hospital."

Tenten nodded briefly, relief washing through her.

"Neji," she called, "Do you see anything about this shed? I'm sure he came here, but I don't see where he went."

She watched Neji study the walls of the shed carefully.

Outside, Hinata could be heard calling Tenten's name.

"Tenten! Below!" she cried, her usual tentative voice loud and clear. "Neji, look below!"

Neji glared at the floor below Tenten's feet.

He looked up at Tenten grimly.

"There's a staircase leading to a passage going out to the bluff," he said.

"He must have used it as an escape route," said Kakashi, frowning. "This guy is really -."

"Starting to piss me off!" said Tenten, "So where's the frickin' door?"

The tiny snapping sound was the only warning they had before the floor exploded and the shed was engulfed in flames.

* * *

_**A/N: What? Did you think this was going to be easy? Even I don't know what's going to happen next! I do have some ideas, though… **_

_**Please review, especially some of those new readers. Yep, I know you're there! I'll tell you what. You review me and I'll return the favor. Promise. 8]**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: I don't own Naruto.**_

* * *

**Heart Broken: Chapter 18**

**Narrowing Options**

Tenten heard the snap almost before it happened. She reached for Neji to pull him upwards only to find herself yanked down through the floor and dragged along a narrow passageway. She clawed futilely at the chakra net that bound her, pulling her inexorably away from her friends.

_Neji! Be okay, please, be okay!_

She could feel a cold burning wherever the chakra threads wrapped her body, draining her own chakra, especially when she struggled. She was furious with herself for not sensing the trap before she set foot in the shed but forced herself to slow her breathing and relax her body. She spared a moment to thank Gai for his ruthless training, as she became more aware of her situation.

The light from the burning shed dimly lit the passageway through which she was hurtling. The walls were made of roughly packed dirt and the roof was supported by wooden beams. Roots dangled down through the ceiling and reached out from the walls and up from the floor, catching her hair and pulling at her skin as she passed. She tried to turn her head enough to see who was yanking the net, but the chakra strands held her securely bundled, immobile.

She could hear the footfalls of the person ahead of her, heavy and wide. A big man, then, with a long stride. He was breathing easily, so someone with a lot of strength.

Could it be her foster father?

He had always been intimidating, but more in the way of a person who played mind power games. He had never seemed especially strong to her.

But he'd fooled her before.

The smell of dirt and the oppressive closeness of the tunnel walls choked her. She hated tight spaces.

She felt the anger and fear rise in her again, but was able to catch herself before she wasted her energy, channeling it more usefully into working her hands free, wincing as the chakra strings burned like ice against her flesh.

She felt inordinately pleased when she was able to inch her hands closer together under her breasts. She pulled her knees forward a little, cupping her hands with her body.

She felt her own chakra flow into her fingers, and she slipped her hands under her blouse to grab the chakra infused shuriken hidden in her waist band.

Her captor slowed a little and she winced as her head cracked against the passageway wall when he turned a tight corner and pulled her into a larger cavern.

She closed her eyes quickly, keeping her eyes shut, resisting the urge to squint at the sudden light.

She was dragged to the center of the cave and dumped there.

She lay on her side, relaxed, breathing slowly, as if she was unconscious, forcing her chakra to stay dim.

She had one chance at surprise.

And she planned to take it.

* * *

The concussion from the blast hit the surrounding ninjas, knocking Hiashi and Hinata to the ground and causing the clone Narutos to pop out of existence.

The real Naruto landed gracelessly in the dirt, growling, "What the FUCK!"

Neji lay on his back under the splintered wood from the shed door. He could taste blood in his mouth. He swiftly ran through the routine mental check he had learned in his Academy days; Chakra levels intact, broken rib, eardrums intact but damaged, minor cuts and bruises. No major injury.

He checked for the Chakra signatures around him. Kakashi on his right, alive. Hinata, Hiashi, Naruto, all alive, Naruto cursing loudly. Tenten – Gods, where was she?

He pushed at the debris covering him until he could struggle his way out of the pile. He realized with a choking sense of unreality that he had been standing very close to the center of the blast.

And that Tenten had been standing in the direct center.

He activated the Byakugan to look down into the crater, searching for a sign of her, clamping down on the panic bubbling in his chest.

He could hear Naruto pulling Kakashi out from under the wall of the shed. He sensed Sakura rushing up to Kakashi to check out his injuries. He felt Hiashi and Hinata circle the rim of the blast, knowing that they were looking with him.

"Do you see her?" he asked, tersely, knowing that they didn't. He registered the negative shakes of their heads impatiently, deepening his search to below the burning trash of the explosion.

How could there be no sign of her, not even a trace of Chakra?

His glance sharpened.

Was that – a body?

* * *

"Dear me," said a pleasant voice, "I thought I told you not to bring her?"

"They were investigating the shed and the trap went off," growled her foster father.

Tenten had no idea who the first voice belonged to. It was almost freakishly pleasant and somehow familiar. She had heard it somewhere before. A long time ago.

The first voice sighed deeply, "And of course, you just couldn't let your toy alone, could you? I told you before, Iwao, that your fascination with little girls would get you into trouble."

Tenten heard steps coming towards her, pausing next to her curled hip. There was a slight pop of a joint and the rustle of fabric, then the first voice was directly over her.

"Still alive, sadly," the first voice said.

Tenten could hear a smile in his voice. She suppressed a shudder.

"She's strong," said her foster father, Iwao, a whine creeping into his usually unctuous tone, "I'm sure Oro-."

"Shut up!" hissed the first voice, pulling away from her. She heard a sound like a snap and a rush of air, then a guttural cry of pain. "Do not speak his name here!"

"Sorry, Yakushi-sama," said Iwao, his voice fearful and tight.

Yakushi. The name was somehow familiar. Where had she heard it before? And who did her foster father mean, 'Oro'? The only name she knew that even slightly resembled that was –

_Orochimaru_

Tenten somehow managed to stifle her gasp.

"Well," said Yakushi, "What's done is done. I'll take the child. You finish with your – toy. Then clean this mess up."

"Yes, Yakushi-sama," said Iwao, growling.

"Oh, and Iwao," said Yakushi, kindly, "don't leave anything behind. I'm sure you would not like to explain yourself to – our master?"

"N-no, Yakushi-sama," stuttuered Iwao, "I will leave no trace behind."

"I'm sure you won't," said Yakushi, the smile back in his voice, "because if you do, you know what will happen, right, Iwao?"

"Yes," Iwao said, his voice breathy and full of fear, "yes. No trace."

Tenten heard steps walking away from her, a slight grunt, the soft cry of a child.

"There, there, my dear," said Yakushi soothingly, his voice moving away, "this nightmare will be over soon."

"And another will begin," chuckled Iwao, darkly.

* * *

"It's not Tenten!" shouted Hinata.

"Neji, stop!" yelled Hiashi.

Father and daughter grabbed Neji by the elbows as he was about to jump down the hole.

"Let me go," he hissed, wrestling with them, not wanting to hurt them, but not about to allow them to stop him.

"The body," said Hinata, "It's not Tenten." She threw her arms around her cousin and held on.

"Neji, I know you want to find her, but that is not her," said Hiashi, "the body is too large and has been down there for a few years."

Neji stopped his struggling and looked more carefully at the body that had been buried under the shed. They were right. He could see now that the body was in a severe state of decomposition and was clearly a larger adult. Judging by the fragments of clothing, it was probably male.

He took a deep breath and relaxed a little.

"I'm still going down there," he said firmly, glaring at Hiashi.

"Of course," said Hiashi, equally firmly, "I won't stop you. I just want you to keep your wits about you. The blast has caused the tunnel to collapse a little. Let's clear out the debris and get you in as quickly as possible."

Neji nodded curtly and Hinata let him go. He took a moment to pat her on the back. It had taken a lot of courage for his little cousin to restrain him.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan," he said, quietly.

Hinata blushed furiously, shaking her head.

"Of course, N-nii-san," she said, quietly, "Neji, I noticed that the tunnel leads off into the bluff that goes under the Forest of Death. I th-think that's where Tenten is."

* * *

Naruto, Shino and Shikamaru crowded around Kakashi.

"Give him some space, you dolts!" shouted Sakura, as she patted Kakashi down searching for injuries. She quickly patched together the fractured right radius when he'd thrown his arm up to protect himself from the blast, sealed shut the nasty gash across his thigh and re-aligned the dislocated left ankle. Not her most thorough job, but would do for field work.

She helped Kakashi sit up.

"Come on, sensai, let's go get the creep," said Naruto, rocking on his toes impatiently.

Kakashi ignored him.

"Anyone else hurt?" asked Kakashi as Sakura pulled him to his feet, supporting him with her arm around his waist and his around her shoulder.

"Minor stuff," said Sakura, "except for Tenten."

She felt Kakahi's body tense.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Tenten's gone," said Shikamaru, "it looks like she was pulled down into the crater. The Hyuugas saw a tunnel leading to the Forest of Death. I'm assuming she's either in there or somewhere in the tunnel."

The group shuffled along with Kakashi as he headed to the mouth of the blast hole.

Sakura peered down into the rubble at the bottom of the depression and shuddered.

"Anyway of confirming Tenten's location?" asked Kakashi.

"Yes," said Neji, coldly. "I'm going after her."

"Yosh!" said Naruto, "Let's clear out this crap and get going."

There was a sudden blur of orange. Six shadow clone Narutos jumped into the hole and started flinging smoldering debris out.

The rest of the team hurriedly backed up to avoid getting hit with the excavation residue.

"Actually," said Shino, his deep voice calm, "there is another way…"

* * *

Tenten tensed, waiting for the man to approach her close enough for her limited range to do some damage. She could feel him grab the ends of the chakra net.

Anytime now.

She almost screamed when she felt the tiny skittering of bug legs run over her face.

_Shino! If I get out of here alive, I'm gonna…_

The kikai bug waved an antenna. It jumped onto the chakra net and started eating.

_I'm gonna give you the biggest hug! Eat away, you darling bug!_

She could feel the chakra lines holding her dissolve and her own chakra flowing through her body, prickling and stinging, like blood returning into a hand that had fallen asleep. Painful, but, oh so sweet.

"Now, my dear little Tenten," murmured Iwao, his voice dark and gloating, "time to finish our games."

Tenten smiled.

Time to finish, indeed.

* * *

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_**A/N: Yeah, I know. Just can't seem to stop with the cliff-hangers. Think of it as a literary tradition. Must keep the reader interested, right? And I hope I have.**_

_**Anyway, please review. I like to know what you think.**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: I don't own Naruto, either.**_

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_**0000000000000000000**_

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**Heartbroken: Chapter Nineteen**

**Battle Skills**

"Yeah! Who's gonna get it? You gonna get it! Who's gonna give it? We gonna -!"

"Naruto!" shouted Sakura, "Tell those damn clones to shut up!"

The bucket brigade of enthusiastic shadow clones all shrugged their shoulders and grinned sheepishly as they cleared the passageway of fallen timbers and dirt. The chanting stopped immediately.

Naruto looked around the group with an identical sheepish grin.

"Heh, heh, sorry," he said, scratching the back of his head.

Hinata giggled.

Neji ignored him and turned back to Shikamaru.

"You were saying?" he said, impatiently.

"We've got a couple of things to consider," said Shikamaru, looking around the circle of ninja, who were listening intently. He glanced at Neji and frowned. "Tenten may be injured from the blast and unable to help herself."

Neji growled.

"According to what the Hyuugas could determine," continued Shikamaru, "the tunnel goes all the way to the Forest of Death. They didn't see anything that looked like Tenten's body, but we still need to be prepared."

Neji frowned and shook his head a little.

There was nothing that could prepare him for that. He rubbed the ring of chestnut-colored hair he wore on his finger. She could not be dead. Not without him knowing it. He wouldn't allow it.

Hinata put her arm shyly around him and squeezed his waist and he was touched and comforted by the gesture for a moment. He smiled briefly down at her.

"Another thing," said Shikamaru, "is the child. From what Shino could get from the foster mother, the target brought home a child, about four-years-old, this morning. She believes the target was planning on killing Tenten and her and then taking the child away."

There were more growls, this time from Naruto and Hiashi.

"I sent the kikai after Tenten and the child to provide us with their location," said Shino, "Neji, we'll be able to follow them into the tunnel and reach Tenten that way."

Neji nodded, impatiently.

"Naruto, you go with Neji and Shino. The rest of us will go the Forest of Death and find the tunnel exit," said Shikamaru.

"Yosh!" said Naruto, breaking the circle and racing toward the crater.

"Hold it!" shouted Kakashi.

The exuberant blonde jinchuriki skidded to a halt, back-peddling at the edge of the blast hole.

He turned and glared at his former sensai.

"What! Let's get the show on the road! I'm tired of waiting!" he whined.

"Neji's in charge," said Kakashi, "What he says, goes. Got it?"

"Got it," said Naruto, begrudgingly, "Get it in gear, Hyuugi! Let's kick some pervert ass!"

Without a word, Neji jumped into the hole, followed closely by Naruto and Shino.

* * *

Tenten waited for Iwao to lean over her before she made her move.

Channeling chakra into her cramped legs, she pushed up from the floor into the man's chest, flinging the shuriken at him.

"You BITCH!" shouted Iwao, leaping back and up. The shuriken hit his right shoulder joint with a satisfying thunk, the chakra coated blades biting deeply into muscle and bone. The man howled in pain and fury, hurling strings of invective after Tenten. "I should have killed you a long time ago, you little slut!" He pulled out the shuriken and flung it after her, rotating his shoulder with difficulty.

Tenten ran backwards, looking around her quickly.

The cavern was large, almost as big as the Konoho arena where the chuunin exams had been held. The floor was uneven, the stone worn down by the ancient river that had carved it out. Stalactites of various lengths hung from the ceiling, some meeting the stalagmites that grew up from the floor. Torches flickered smokily around the center of the chamber leading to a dark tunnel across from the one Tenten was sure led to her house, throwing flickering pools of light and shadow onto the surfaces of the space.

She quickly ran through a weapons check, keeping her eye on Iawo.

She still had the poisoned senbons in her hair, kunai, shuriken and exploding tags tucked away. She'd lost her weapons summoning scroll, damn it, but the tanto blade was still slung securely across her back. She drew it now, using it to nick her thumb and pull blood along the blade. A blue line of chakra flamed in the blood.

She stopped running and settled into the flexed fighter pose, the blade gripped in both hands and held in front of her. She grinned widely.

Time to party.

She ran straight at him, the tanto raised over her head.

Iwao assumed a defensive posture about twenty feet away, wincing as he brought up his hands to make some quick hand signals.

She could feel the wave of inertia and despair hit her. Her steps faltered a moment.

"Nice try, you ass," she crowed, "I'm so over that!"

She leapt up, bringing the tanto blade down in a vicious slice.

His eyes widened and he leapt out of her way, running up a stone column and into the shadows overhead.

She flipped and followed behind, unraveling a chakra wire strung with kunai and her own special exploding tags from her waist.

"Well, well," he said, his voice echoing in vaulted ceiling of the cave, "Seems you found out about my little secret jutsu."

She used the end of the wire like a bola, swinging it widely to attach it high up on a stalactite near the lit tunnel. This was where the other man, Yakushi, took the child. It was probably the destination of her quarry as well.

There was no way she was letting him get out of the cave in one piece.

She used the wire to swing herself as close to the opening as she could, setting exploding tags around the door, quickly signaling to arm them to explode when the tunnel was entered by anyone other than herself. She heard movement overhead and spun out of the way as five kunai sliced the air around her. One of the kunai passed uncomfortably close to her waist, drawing a thin line of blood under her ribs.

Using the uneven columns of stone as cover, she settled into a pool of shadow, trying to pinpoint the man's location. She slowed her breathing down and focused chakra to her ears, unraveling the layers of sound in the immense chamber.

First, her own heartbeat. Second, the sound of shards of stone and the clang of the kunai falling to the ground. Third, the faint scrape of flesh on stone.

There.

She flung the other end of the wire and the hook it was attached to, towards the sound and was rewarded with a slight grunt. She yanked on the wire, reeling it towards her, like a fisherman with his catch, careful not to lose her capture.

She was rewarded by the sight of his hands, clutching the wire. She let go suddenly, springing up and running along the wire flinging needles in a spray pattern before her.

He sawed at the wire with a kunai, the hook firmly imbedded in his gut. His eyes were wide and the snarl on his face seemed hardly human. The needles landed in his chest and arms and one went through one side of his lower jaw and poked out on the other.

She drew her blade again, ready to sever his head from his shoulders.

He pushed off from the stone column he'd been standing against, slamming his body into hers, and wrapping his arms around her. The tanto slipped from her grip and fell, clattering to the floor.

They plummeted together like an anchor dropped overboard, the wire playing out until it ended with a sickening yank, just above the floor.

Tenten felt the hook rip his stomach, and a rush of heat as his blood and intestines poured out. He held her in a parody of an embrace, whispering in her ear.

"You were always my favorite, you know," his sly voice was rough, slurred, his breath hot on her throat.

She fought the panic that threatened to overcome her, pulling up her knees to break his hold. She pushed off his chest and landed a few feet away from his body. He swung grotesquely on the hook.

He grabbed the wire and used it to stabilize himself, bringing himself up to stand unsteadily.

He looked down at his torn abdomen, grimacing.

"Now that wasn't very nice," he said, frowning. "You weren't supposed to be that strong."

He eased the hook out and let it swing away from him, then grinned up at her.

"Fortunately, I'm much stronger," he said.

Tenten watched in frustration as his hand glowed with chakra and he held it over his belly.

The bleeding stopped and torn tissue knit back together.

"Not my best work, but it will do," he said. He plucked the senbon from his jaw and applied more chakra to the wound. He grinned widely at his former foster daughter. "Poison, eh? Did you think I would let you get away from me? I plan to end this-."

"You talk too much," she said, flinging kunai wrapped in exploding tags towards him. She sprinted away, toward the tunnel they had come from.

If she could just find her weapons scroll, she could take this prick out.

She heard the pop of her tags behind her, the layered sounds of shattering granite and the accompanying echoes almost masking the rushing sound of his feet.

She dove to the floor, skidding on her belly. She felt the heat of his body pass over her. She turned over on her back, shoving a chakra enhanced kunai into his recently healed stomach. She scooted down, shaking off his hands grabbing at her, and twisted, jumping to her feet to face him.

He landed in the passageway with a grunt, clutching his stomach again, his eyes glittering in the dim light. He staggered to his feet.

"Again, you've surprised me," he growled, "I thought I'd taken care of your resistance."

He pulled the kunai out and flung it at her.

She dodged it easily, catching it with her left hand.

_He doesn't frighten me._

_He has no more power over me._

She grinned.

Except for his ability for genjutsu, the man seemed to have no battle skill what-so-ever.

And battle skill was what she had in abundance.

She relaxed, smiling happily.

* * *

Neji activated his Byakugan and pushed past Naruto.

"Follow me," he growled, running down the recently cleared passageway, dodging debris.

He could see the trails of Tenten's chakra along the floor and sometimes on the wall.

"She was dragged this way," he said, grimly, "I don't see blood."

_Thank all the gods!_

His relief added a burst of speed and he almost tripped on the large cylinder before he caught himself.

Tenten's weapon scroll.

He snatched it up, slinging the cord around his head and arm.

She'd be needing this.

"Listen," hissed Naruto, as the muffled sound of a series of explosions rolled down the tunnel.

Neji allowed himself a smile.

"Tenten," he said. He would have to tell her how much he admired girls who carried exploding tags as easily as makeup purses. Actually, he'd have to tell her a lot of things he admired about her, once he had her back safe.

"Indeed," said Shino, "she's up ahead. And, I believe, the target is with her."

Neji nodded agreement, picking up the muddy chakra signature of Tenten's foster father.

"Blood," said Naruto, with a sniff, "and a lot of it." He frowned. "It smells like that piece of crap. Not Tenten."

Neji nodded again. He could see her chakra past the man's, ahead of them. She glowed with a warm brightness.

He grinned and slowed down.

"She seems to have things under control," he said, motioning to the others.

They walked to the end of the passageway.

They were standing behind the target, who was hunched over and panting heavily. He seemed unaware of their approach. Tenten stood past him, standing nonchalantly, tossing a bloody kunai and catching it.

"Tenten!" called Neji. He pulled the weapons scroll from his back and threw it over the target's head.

"Oh, hi, Neji," said Tenten, cheerfully. She caught the scroll easily and slung it over her back with a sigh of contentment.

The man turned around hastily, grimacing in pain. He made some hand signals quickly, muttering.

Shino and Naruto stopped suddenly, clutching their chests and groaning in pain. Kikai bugs buzzed angrily swarming out from Shino's coat to cover his chest.

Neji stepped up to the man calmly, activating the Byakugan and using his Gentle Fist style to stop the chakra flow in the man's arms.

"What-?" said the man, starring at Neji.

"It seems that I've developed immunity to your jutsu," Neji said, coldly. He smiled at the man's look of incredulity.

Neji looked over at Tenten, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.

"Kakashi has asked that we bring him in for interrogation," he said, "do you want to wrap this up or shall I?"

"No, go right ahead," said Tenten, waving a hand airily, "I'm heading after the kid. You can catch up, okay?"

"Hnh," said Neji, watching her leap away with a smile. He turned to the man and his smile broadened into an evil grin. "You hurt my girlfriend." He methodically shut down the man's chakra flow with surgical precision, ignoring the man's struggles as he dropped to the floor. He continued until the man lay semi-comatose on the floor. "No one hurts my girlfriend and gets away with it."

"Jeez, Neji," said Naruto, wheezily, standing up and leaning against the passage wall, "leave some for the rest of us." He rubbed his chest comfortingly. "Crap! That hurt like a mother!"

"Naruto," said Neji, "Can you take this piece of filth to ANBU headquarters? I'm going after Tenten to find the girl."

"Oh, yeah," said Naruto, his amazing healing abilities already restoring him to his usual state of health. He grabbed the target's ankles and dragged him back towards the blast hole, taking care to pull the man roughly over every pile of rubble he could find. "Can't guarantee his condition when he gets there, but I'll get 'im there in one or two pieces!"

Neji could hear the man's groans fade down the passage.

He turned to Shino, who was pushing himself up from the floor.

"Are you okay? Can you go on?" he asked.

"Yes," said Shino, "my hive has already absorbed the virus and I'll be able to continue."

"Good," said Neji, "Let's go."

He turned and sped into the cavern, closely followed by the bug-nin.

* * *

Tenten hurried across the cave, pausing only to pick up her tanto blade with a crow of excitement.

"Hello, my beauty!" she said, "I thought I'd lost you."

She quickly sheathed the blade and raced over to the tunnel Yakushi had used to leave. As she passed, she made more hand-signals, disarming the exploding tags.

Wouldn't want her friends to get blown up with her enemies, she thought, with a chuckle.

The passageway inclined upward and she followed it, her senses alert.

She could see a dim green light filtering above her and hear birds calling.

She climbed up some rough steps cut into the end of the tunnel and stepped into a shallow cave of roots and earth. She hugged the perimeter to the edge of the cave and looked out carefully.

She was under a huge tree in a hollow carved under its twisted roots. The hollow looked out on a clearing surrounded by other massive trees all forming a natural fence around the tower in front of her.

The tower she recognized as the place where the preliminary battles for the chunin exams took place.

She stepped out into the clearing and headed purposefully for the tower entrance.

* * *

Kakashi, Shikamaru, Hinata and Hiashi landed on a broad branch of one of the trees surrounding the tower in the center of the Forest of Death.

"The child is in there," said Hinata, "and there are several other people, too."

"Yes," said Hiashi, "two adults and several children. One of the adults has very strong chakra. Neither adult is the target, though."

Hinata nodded.

Kakashi frowned. If the target wasn't in the tower, who was?

He turned sharply, catching movement at the edge of the clearing.

He watched Tenten step out from under a tree and head towards the tower door.

"Time to go," he said, jumping easily down to the ground below.

He didn't bother to check if the others were following.

He knew they were.

* * *

Morino Ibiki rubbed his hands in anticipation.

The target was huddled on a chair in the center of the chakra interrogation circle, moaning softly.

Ibiki spared a moment before beginning his session to admire Neji's work. The boy had managed to shut down the man's chakra network without killing him. A technique that was very similar in style to the paralysis technique used by ANBU ops to bring down a target.

The Hyuuga would be a good candidate for the next selection process. Something to think on at a later date.

"Now then," said Ibiki, genially, getting down to business, "when did you first infiltrate the village?"

* * *

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* * *

  
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_**A/N: Well, it certainly takes a lot longer to describe a fight scene than I thought…and, as many have noted before, it's really difficult. I hope I didn't disappoint.**_

_**Anyway, please review. I really do appreciate it!**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 20**

**Attending to Business**

Tenten paused to let Kakashi and the others join her at the edge of the clearing.

"Hi, there!" she said, grinning cheekily. She winked at Hinata who was maintaining a respectful two paces behind her father. "'Bout time the cavalry arrived."

"Yo," said Kakashi, "I take it Neji and the others met up with you?"

"Yep," said Tenten, "My – foster father -," her nose wrinkled as if at a bad smell, "he's been captured. Neji's taking him to ANBU headquarters. Neji said Morino Ibiki was handling the interrogation?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Good," said Tenten, darkly, "only the best for dear old Dad." She slammed a fist into her palm. "Did you find my mother?"

"Shino and Sakura took her to the hospital," said Shikamaru, "Sakura says there's a good chance she'll be alright."

Tenten felt a little knot of anxiety untie in her heart. She nodded quickly.

"Thanks," she said, her voice suddenly shaky with relief. "You know about the child he took? He met someone in the tunnels. He took the child. I couldn't see him. I think I heard his voice before, but I can't be sure. Anyway, my foster father called him Yakushi-."

Kakashi stood up from his usual careless slouch.

"You're kidding," he said, slowly.

"The name means something to you?" asked Hiashi.

"You could say that…," said Kakashi, looking thoughtfully at the tower before them.

The others waited to see if he was going to add on to that statement.

"Yakushi Kabuto!" exclaimed Shikamaru.

"I don't -," Tenten thought for a moment, "Wait, wasn't that the guy that had those cards at the chunin exam? Wasn't there something about him helping – oh!"

"Personal assistant to Orochimaru," said Kakashi, flatly, "Which makes me wonder…"

"What's he doing in Konoha?" finished Shikamaru.

* * *

Neji paused at the tunnel entrance to admire Tenten's arrangement of exploding tags. He made the hand-signs Tenten had taught all her team members to disarm the devices. He was pretty sure she would have already done it, but…it was always better to be safe than sorry.

"You've got to admire a girl who knows how to set the perfect explosive," said Neji warmly.

Shino raised a thin, elegant eyebrow.

"Ready?" said Neji, loping down the tunnel.

Without answering, Shino followed.

They exited the tunnel in time to see Tenten, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Hiashi and Hinata break up what looked like a huddle on the perimeter of the field around the tower at the center of the Forest of Death.

Neji and Shino joined them, Neji standing behind Tenten. He put a hand gently on the small of her back and was rewarded with a slight lean of her body against him.

She was safe and herself.

He finally felt as if the past weeks of illness and recovery were over. He wanted to punch his arm in the air like Naruto or shout like Lee. Instead, he contented himself with the feel of her hip pressed into his palm and the warmth of her shoulder on his chest.

He looked up to see his cousin and uncle staring at him. He stared back and was rewarded with a small smile from both Hyuugas. He returned the smile and pulled Tenten a little closer.

"As I was saying," said Shikamaru, in his usual bored tone, "Yakushi Kabuto, Orochimaru's assistant, seems to have been working with Tenten's foster father to kidnap children."

Neji started, squeezing Tenten tightly.

"We believe he's inside the tower, possibly with other rogue-nins and the child," continued Shikamaru. "Kakashi, Neji and Tenten, you enter the front. The rest of us will circle around to cover exits and find a way to extract the child. Any questions?" No one answered. "Good. Let's go."

Shikamaru and Hiashi headed around to the left of the tower while Shino and Hinata started to the right.

Neji, Tenten and Kakashi looked briefly at one another and started forward, slipping up the steps of the tower entrance cautiously.

* * *

Hiashi followed Shikamaru without hesitation. It had been a long time since he'd been on a mission and it felt surprisingly good to be using the skills he practiced regularly.

This had been an eye-opening experience all around.

First, his deepening understanding of his nephew. The boy had become a strong and worthy man. A son any man would be proud of. He hoped that Hizashi knew somehow what a fine person Neji had grown into.

There would be some problem with his obvious partiality towards the girl. It would take a lot of convincing to get the clan elders to agree to a match there. Still, if that's what the boy wanted, Hiashi would do whatever was necessary to get the clan to agree. Perhaps he could call upon the Hokage to lend her influence on the boy's behalf.

Hiashi smiled discretely. He looked forward to asking her.

And Hinata. Now, that was a revelation.

Yes, she was shy and gentle, but she handled her role on this mission with competence and skill.

He had watched the others around her.

Everyone treated her with respect. Even Kakashi, the elite jounin, one of the most accomplished shinobi in the village.

Hiashi was impressed.

He would have to tell her so, when this was over.

* * *

"Shino," whispered Hinata, "did you see my father?"

Shino nodded.

"I can't believe he came along on this mission."

Shino nodded again.

"I hope he doesn't get hurt," said Hinata, biting her lip.

Shino looked at her, his eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

It was no secret to Kiba or him that Hiashi and the Hyuuga clan members made Hinata's life miserable on many occasions.

It never ceased to amaze him how forgiving the girl was. It was one of the things he admired about his kind hearted teammate.

* * *

Neji activated the Byakugan bloodline limit, scanning the tower entry for guards. He lifted two fingers, then pointed to the right and left of the doorway, indicating where he saw the first Chakra signatures.

Kakashi nodded. He pointed to himself and to the right. He pointed to Neji and to the left. He nodded at Tenten and leaned his head to the front.

Neji and Tenten nodded in return.

Tenten reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out several exploding tags which she wrapped around kunai. She threw them at the hinges of the door making hand-signs to detonate.

The three followed the explosion immediately, jumping at the door to push it in.

Kakashi went right and Neji left while Tenten ran straight down the middle, pulling her tanto blade out and holding it before her.

The two guards shouted, sending their own volley of kunai at the three.

Tenten heard Neji grunt as one kunai whizzed past his shoulder, nicking his ear-lobe and cutting off some strands of hair.

"Damn it!" he hissed and laid the man out with one punch.

"Ooh, you bad boy!" said Tenten, gleefully. "You messed up the do!"

Neji shot her a withering glance while he immobilized the man's chakra with a few well placed blows from his Gentle Fist technique.

They both raced passed Kakashi and his opponent and towards the main chamber of the tower.

Kakashi dispatched the rogue-nin quickly, binding the man with chakra suppressing hand and leg restraints and tossing him onto the other guard's body.

"Too easy," said Kakashi as he caught up with the others.

"Agreed," said Neji, "watch yourself."

They stopped at the edge of the chamber taking in the scene before them.

Yakushi Kabuto was standing casually in the center of the arena facing the doorway. Behind him, arranged in a line, were six blanket wrapped bundles.

"Ah, Hatake Kakashi," called Kabuto, "I was wondering when you would make it to the party!" The young white-haired man made quick hand motions, "Temple of Nirvana Technique!"

"Good Kami," said Kakashi, in a bored voice, making quick hand signals of his own before the sleep jutsu took effect, "haven't you learned anything new?"

"Too busy," said Kabuto. He indicated the bundles with a wave of his hand. "Picking up some more candidates for my Lord Orochimaru."

Neji realized that the bundles were actually children, wrapped tightly in blankets and bound with chakra strings. He noted with relief that they appeared to be sleeping, not dead, as he'd feared.

"You know that we can't let you take any more victims from us," said Kakashi, moving lightly towards the man.

Tenten and Neji split to approach the man from either side.

"I was afraid that would happen," sighed Kabuto, "once you were on to Iwao and his tiresome games." He turned and smiled at Tenten. "Such a shame he didn't get a chance to finish with you, little girl."

She stopped, frowning.

"Oh, yes," continued Kabuto, "we were so looking forward to the pictures, I can tell you. The last girl Iwao had, well, there was one scene that I found particularly thrilling…"

Neji growled and leapt, Byakugan engaged and his hands pulsing with chakra.

The chamber exploded as a dozen rogue-nin leapt down from the observation deck into the center of the room.

* * *

Shikamaru and Hiashi slipped through a broken window they found hidden by overgrowth. They looked quickly around a small dark room littered with broken wooden benches and tiles and headed cautiously for the door.

The sounds of shouting and the clashing of weapons hit them as they stepped out into a shadowy corridor behind the massive arms of Buddha.

Shikamaru signaled to Hiashi, pointing to the row of bodies lined up on the dais in front of them. He held up six fingers, spaying his fingers out towards the bodies. He drew his fingers in, making a pulling notion. He looked at Hiashi with a lifted eyebrow.

Hiashi nodded. He would provide cover while Shikamaru removed the children. He stepped quietly out from the shadows of Buddha's hands and put himself between the still blanketed forms. He dropped into the Gentle Fist Stance and activated his Byukagan bloodline limit.

Hiashi noted with satisfaction that Shikamaru was using the shadows surrounding them to wrap around each blanketed bundle and drag them slowly back into the dark corridor. Whoever tried to interrupt the rescue of these children would need to get through Hiashi first.

He looked forward to it.

* * *

Neji slammed Kabuto in the chest with a not so gentle Gentle Fist. With a pop, Kabuto disappeared, leaving faint green smoke behind.

"Damn," said Neji, searching for the rogue-nin's chakra signature.

He blinked for a moment when he caught sight of his uncle, preparing to take on all comers.

_Impressive._

He filed the picture away for later.

Now, where did that annoying traitor go?

He quickly scanned around the room. Nothing.

Casually, he grabbed the arm of an attacker, pulling it over his own shoulder to jab the man in the chest shutting the chakra flow to the heart. He used the twitching corpse as a shield, spinning to avoid a flight of shuriken. He threw the metal studded body down and scanned upward.

_There!_

Kabuto was moving swiftly towards the stairs leading to the top observation deck.

Neji took after him with a chakra-laced leap, almost crashing into Tenten.

"Mine!" she growled, speeding past him.

He nodded once, turning to assist Kakashi.

He'd keep an eye on her, not that she was likely to need help.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared for back-up.

Besides. She looked amazing.

* * *

Hinata and Shino heard the sounds of battle and looked at each other.

They spotted a weather stained door with a slight ledge about two stories up the tower wall. They leapt up to it, balancing precariously on the crumbling stone. Shino pulled the door handle sharply.

"Locked," he said, quietly.

Hinata nodded. She stooped and brought her hand to the lock. She activated the Byukugan and send chakra into the device.

She quickly disabled an exploding seal and tripped the mechanism, pulling the door open, hanging onto the handle to keep herself from being swept off the ledge. She stepped over the doorjamb and found her balance.

Shino looked at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

"A little something I've been working on," she said, with a diffident shrug. Her cheeks reddened.

"Handy," said Shino, and headed into the tower.

Hinata's cheeks reddened a little more.

It was very nice to be appreciated.

* * *

Shino stepped cautiously onto the observation deck. He could hear the sounds of combat below.

He lifted his arm and a stream of kikai flowed from his palm. They circled the combatants and buzzed back to him.

Kakashi and Neji in the thick of things. Shikamaru and Hiashi at the front of the room, rescuing the child…correction, six children. Tenten following someone up the stairs to the observation deck.

Shino signaled to Hinata, pointing to the left. He pointed to himself and then down to the room below.

She nodded and headed toward the stairs.

Shino leapt from the deck and into the fray, spraying kikai as he went.

* * *

Tenten reached the top of the stairs and stepped onto the observation deck. She quickly looked to the right, catching sight of Shino as he jumped off the platform. Hinata was racing towards her, Byakugan ready.

Of Kabuto, there was not a trace.

"Where the holy gods is he?" barked Tenten.

Hinata looked puzzled, "Who?"

"Kabuto!" shouted Tenten, glaring around the gallery for a glimpse of the traitor nin. "I was following him up the stairs!"

Hinata scanned the stairwell and the surrounding deck.

"No one," she said.

"Shit!" said Tenten, "How'd he find a way to get out?" She turned to the smaller girl. "Can you see him anywhere?"

Hinata scanned again, this time broadening her search to above and below the observation deck.

"He's not here," she said, "but I can see where he went." She headed for the stairway and pelted down it, Tenten following close on her heels.

Hinata skidded to a halt on the last step and studied the floor and one wall of the stairwell entrance.

Tenten hovered over her, grinding her teeth.

Hinata swooped down and punched the wall where it met the floor. Several tiles splintered and clattered to the floor, revealing a tunnel.

"Well, bite me," said Tenten, bitterly, "this creep's got himself another frickin' tunnel!"

* * *

Once Shino's chakra eating bugs had decimated the attacking ninjas, it only took a few more minutes for Kakashi, Neji and Shino to subdue the rogues.

The bodies, living and dead, were piled in the middle of the room, banded and sealed in a chakra net.

At Kakashi's command, Shino took off to alert ANBU.

There would be a few more recipients of Morino Ibuki's effective interrogation methods.

The bodies would be autopsied for evidence and then disposed of properly.

Tenten joined the three shinobi, scowling darkly.

"He got away," she growled fiercely. "Another damn tunnel!"

Kakashi nodded, winking at her.

"Kabuto always was one to run away and leave others to fight," he said, "I'm sure the Hokage will order a team to search him out."

Tenten nodded curtly. She would have liked to beat the crap out of the traitor.

Still, she reflected, as Neji's arm settled around her waist, things turned out much better than expected.

* * *

"Father," said Hinata hesitantly, "are you hurt?"

"Not at all, daughter," said Hiashi, cooly.

He absent-mindedly wiped his bloodied knuckle on his once snowy robes. He had dispatched at least two of the rogue ninjas with the Eight Palms Trigram technique and he was quite pleased himself.

In fact, he felt quite elated.

Not that he was willing to share these feelings with his child.

He looked down at Hinata, unexpectedly touched by her concern.

"I am well," he said, with a hint of warmth in his voice. Hinata looked up at him, astonishment clearly written across her face.

It made him uncomfortable.

"Now," he said, sternly, "Let's get those children out of here."

He pivoted and marched back towards Shikamaru, shaken by the sweet smile he had been given.

Hinata followed obediently.

* * *

The team headed back towards the village, carrying the children between them.

Neji stayed as close to Tenten as he could, glancing at her regularly.

"What?" she said, exasperation clear in her tone.

"Nothing," said Neji, looking ahead.

"So why do you keep looking at me?" insisted Tenten.

"I don't keep looking at you," said Neji, coldly, looking at her.

She rolled her eyes.

"You're doing it again," she said, irritably, "Just spit it out, for Kami's sake!"

Neji took in a restorative breath.

There were so many things he wanted to say; I was afraid for you, I was amazed by you, I love you.

"I –I'm glad you are safe," he said simply.

He shot ahead of her, afraid to look at her again.

* * *

_**A/N: Ah, those darling inarticulate Hyuugas. Gotta love 'em.**_

_**One more chapter and then I'm done…**_

_**Hope you liked this one. Please review. It takes only a moment and means a lot. Really, it does!**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: I do not own Naruto.**_

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**Heart Broken: Chapter 21**

**Home Again**

"I can't believe it," growled Naruto, shooting another dirty look in Kakashi's direction. "You had the man in front of you and you let him go."

Kakashi sighed heavily.

"Let it go, Naruto," he said, wearily, leaning against the doorjamb of the Hokage's office and burying his nose back into 'Icha-Icha Paradise'. "He got away. End of story."

"It's not the end of the story," shouted Naruto, flinging his arms out and knocking Shikamaru across the room.

"Idiot!" shouted Sakura, bopping Naruto on the head with her fist.

The blonde peered at her from the floor with a dazed and wounded expression.

"But, Sakura-chan," he whined, rubbing the goose-egg that was growing on his head, "we should be following that asshole and find Sasuke. This is our first lead in months."

"That's enough!" boomed Tsunade, leaning on her desk and focusing her piercing golden glare on the assembled shinobi "Team Kakashi, you'll be heading out to track Kabuto. From the preliminary information we've gotten from Ibuki, there should be a compound near the mountains bordering the Land of Fire where the children were taken. Be prepared to leave first thing in the morning."

"What?" screeched Naruto, "We gotta go, now! Right now! Before we lose the trail-."

"Naruto," said Sakura, shaking her fist under the boy's nose. He cringed back. "Shut up!"

"Oh, uh, yeah," said Naruto, falling back onto the floor, "but I don't want to waste-."

"We need to get more Intel from Ibiki before you leave," said Tsunade, firmly, "You'll leave tomorrow morning, first thing."

"Alright," grumbled Naruto, begrudgingly, standing up and rubbing his head, "I'll wait, Grand-ma."

The Fifth Hokage gritted her teeth for a minute, glaring at the most annoying teen in her life.

Shikamaru leaned on the wall he had landed against and crossed his ankles.

"What information do we have from the interrogation?" he asked.

Tsunade glanced over at Neji and Tenten, standing quietly at the back of the room.

"It seems Iwao was part of the assault team during your Chuunin exams. He took the opportunity to stay undercover in Konoha and worked out an arrangement with Kabuto to feed information back to Orochimaru." said Tsunade, sitting down and rubbing her brow. "He moved around a lot, until he found Tenten's foster family."

"The body," said Shikamaru, nodding to himself.

Everyone but Tsunade looked at him in puzzlement. She waited to see if he would elaborate.

Shikamaru sighed and looked up at the confused faces around him.

"The body we found in the tunnel," he said. They continued to stare at him.

He sighed again.

"It was the real foster parent," he said, "Iwao must have killed him and taken his place. I suppose he kept the wife quiet through intimidation and torture."

"That's about it," agreed Tsunade, "It seemed he had a taste for inflicting pain and thought he had a great set-up. He could have easy access to children and smuggle them out to Kabuto and be able to indulge his own sick games."

"Until Tenten," said Shikamaru.

Everyone turned to stare at Tenten.

She stared at the floor.

"Yes," said Tsunade, "until Tenten. He said that she was harder to break than the other children. He was angry that he couldn't 'finish' her, as he put it."

Tenten looked up at that, a stricken look on her face.

"If it hadn't been for Sakura," she said, humbly, touching the fading kanji on her wrist, "I wouldn't have been able to stop him."

"That's why we have teams," said Tsunade, "combinations of strengths and abilities that make us strong. Once you learned how to counteract the genjutsu, you were able to fight him."

"And if Neji hadn't gotten sick, we might not have found out about him," said Sakura. "Now we know about a genjutsu we weren't aware of and have a way to combat it."

"What about the children?" said Hiashi, from the only comfortable arm-chair in the room.

"And the mother?" added Hinata, in her soft voice.

"The children are fine," said Tsunade, "They've been returned to the orphan's home and are all in good shape. It seems Iwao was in a hurry to clear out of Konoha now that his secret was discovered. He wanted to curry favor with Kabuto so he snatched a whole group right off the playground, using that damned genjutsu." Tsunade turned to Hinata and smiled briefly. "The mother, Yamiko Kyo, will be fine, once her wounds have healed."

Tsunade paused and stared at Tenten for a moment, tenting her fingers and resting her chin on them.

"I wanted to ask you, Tenten," she said, "what you think I should do with her?"

Tenten looked up at the Fifth Hokage with a frown.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Kyo has asked that she be punished," said Tsunade, calmly, "she believes that she should have stopped Iwao from hurting you and the other children. You were there, Tenten. You know what happened better than anyone. What do you think?"

"No!" said Tenten, starting forward. She brushed off Neji's hand and stalked up to the Hokage's desk. "There was nothing she could do. She was not shinobi. She has no ninja skills. She was tortured and threatened. She put herself between me and that monster. That's why she got hurt. She should be treated kindly, not punished."

Tsunade studied the fuming girl standing before her.

She smiled.

"I agree," she said, "Now, get out of here, everyone. I believe that Tenten needs some help moving into the Women's Dormitory. Go!"

The group turned and shuffled out the door, Naruto complaining all the way.

* * *

Hiashi stood up and brushed off his robes.

It was the end of an interesting adventure.

He waited until the last member of the party had left the room. He crossed to the door and shut it.

He turned and looked at the most powerful kunoichi in Konoha, maybe even in the five hidden villages.

"Thank you," he said, quietly.

She looked at him quizzically, a tiny frown marring the smooth surface of her brow.

"Thank you," he said again, "for giving me an opportunity to serve my village."

She smiled a little sadly.

"You're welcome, of course," she said. She started shuffling papers around randomly on her desk.

He took a couple of steps towards her.

"Thank you for giving me a chance to see my family in a new way," he said.

She didn't look up.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said. The paper shuffling increased, some documents fluttering to the cluttered floor.

He reached the desk and stepped around it to stand by the window, looking at her. His heart was beating so loudly in his chest, that he was sure she could hear it.

"Thank you for getting me out of my house and letting me into your life."

She froze at the desk, her hands poised in mid-air.

"I'm hoping you will wish to continue," he said, quietly, hardly able to breathe.

She turned abruptly in her chair and stared up at him.

"Really?" she said, her eyes wide, "I thought-."

He reached down for her hand.

Slowly, she put hers in his and allowed him to pull her up into a loose embrace.

"I have become singularly attached to your lack of decorum," he said, his breath warm against her cheek. "I think it is my duty to be of service to Konoha to add to your consequence."

She put her arms around his neck and leaned against him, letting out a sigh.

"Far be it from me to stop anyone from attending to their duty," she murmured, enjoying the rumble of his low laugh.

* * *

Somehow or other, Neji had ended up hosting a loud and raucous party at his little cottage on the Hyuuga compound. He surveyed his usually cold living room with a resigned expression, wondering how he was going to get everyone to leave, now that they were all there. Probably not anytime soon, he reflected as kitchen staff carried in more trays of food to the cheers of his guests.

Naruto was doing some kind of strange dance in the middle of the room that involved flopping on his belly and undulating across the floor. Kiba had been released from the hospital and was sitting in an armchair with Akamaru by his side, talking loudly and trying to get Sakura to sit on his lap. Hinata was watching Naruto with a wistful expression on her face, while Shino stood quietly nearby. Shikamaru was avoiding Lee who was complaining bitterly about not being included in the fight while Gai was doing the same with Kakashi.

Everyone who had been in on the fight was there, celebrating their victory. Except for Tenten.

Where was she, anyway?

Neji looked around the room with a frown.

She had come back to the compound with them, after they had put her things in her room and visited her foster mother.

She had to be somewhere.

With a whispered, 'Byuakugan', Neji studied the rooms of his house, his worry increasing when he couldn't find her right away.

There, in the small private garden at the entrance to his house.

He stepped out into the cool night and stood on the porch looking at her.

She was sitting on a wooden bench under a sakura tree, leaning against the trunk and looking up through the branches at the starry sky.

He walked quietly over to her and sat down.

"I should have been able to stop him from hurting her," she whispered.

He could see the silvery trails of tears on her face, gleaming in the moonlight.

"How?" he asked, simply.

"I should have known he was using a jutsu," she said, her voice rising a little.

"How could you have known?" he asked, brushing his hand along her back.

"Isn't that what a good ninja does?" she cried, her voice harsh with pain. "Stop the bad guys? Save the village?"

"Isn't that what you did?" he said, his thumb making circles between her shoulder blades. "It seems to me that you did stop the bad guys and save the village."

She gasped.

"Not soon enough," she said, "I could have spared her so much pain-."

"Tenten," he interrupted, firmly, "why are you punishing yourself? You broke free from his jutsu, you rescued your mother and the little girl and five other children you didn't even know about. You did that. Your mother isn't complaining, is she?"

Her breath hitched.

"Can I tell you what I saw today?" he stopped his stroking and pulled her tightly against his side, "I saw an amazing, strong kunoichi take down an evil villain and stop a kidnapping ring."

He kissed the nape of her neck, "I saw my teammate take the lead on a successful mission."

He trailed more kisses along her jaw line, "I saw the woman I love taking back her life."

She turned and stared at him, her eyes wide and tear-soaked.

He kissed her on the lips gently.

"The woman you love?" she asked, her mouth trembling against his, "even knowing – what you do about me? You can love me?"

He deepened the kiss as his answer, pulling her into his arms and kissing her breathless.

The door to the house opened wide, spilling light and laughter out onto the shadowy path.

"Hey, you two," shouted Naruto, "quit making out and get in here. Kakashi wants to hear some of your music! Hey, Neji, did you make up something for our team? Because that would be so cool! I know, I know! I could help you come up with some music for us. I can't play any instruments or sing or anything, but I know I could – OW! Sakura! Why'd you do that?"

"Idiot!" shouted Sakura, "Leave them alone!"

Neji winced at the sound of something crashing.

Tenten smothered laughter against his shoulder.

"You better get in there, before the place gets destroyed," she snickered.

He sighed heavily, standing up reluctantly. He pulled her up with him.

"Only if you come, too," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

She melted against him, laughing as he jumped at the sound of repeated pounding.

"I'll come with you," she whispered, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

Hand in hand they ran lightly into the house to be with their friends.

_**The End**_

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_**A/N: Finally finished. Boy gets Girl, Girl crushes evil Foster Dad, and all's well in Narutoland.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.**_

_**Thank you to all my loyal reviewers:**_

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_**It made my day getting your reviews. Without them, and the notices that this story had been added to favorites lists, really kept me going.**_

_**I hope, if you are reading this story, that you will send me a review, too. **_

_**I will be posting a new story soon; something with a lot more fluff and less angst. Please take a read and let me know what you think!**_

_**By the way, I'm proud to be a part of this odd, amazing fellowship and look forward to reading your contributions, too!**_

_**Best Regards, Märchen Freunde**_


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